Daughter of Aule
by dragynfyre18
Summary: Rylee is the Daughter of Aule, a girl created by the Valar to kill dragons and do the bidding of the Valar. This is her fourth life, and her fourth quest, she hasn't failed yet, but the odds are stacked against her, because this time the quest isn't about the dragon. Rated M for violence, gore and adult situations.
1. Dropping in Unannounced

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. **

**Hells yes I will be making this my own version of events, I will be adding scenes and changing scenes, mostly for my enjoyment and also for yours. I have dropped in my own loverly characters, the first of which will be Rylee (kinda obvious as she is my main character in this fic), but if you pay careful attention, you will be able to figure out the other few. I will follow the plotline of the movies and the timeline of the book. They leave on quest at the end of April and the Battle takes place in November so really we have at least six months of events to work with.**

**So this is the typical fangirl fic of a lady (me) who does not want her three favorite characters in the original story(and movie YUM) to die (Uh Duh) So I sure as hell will be changing the ending. Also I love OC's so I am making my own as per usual. **

**I did a huge amount of research on this story, the history and the timelines that I am using. If you catch a slip up somewhere please let me know.**

**I do love reviews so go ahead and let me know what you think. **

Chapter 1

Dropping in Unannounced

The dragon was falling she could feel the weight and the pressure of the beast as he fell from the air, his great wings useless once his heart stopped. The smell of sulfur and smoke assaulted her nose, burning her insides as she held on to her whip and axes. She looked down at the ground far below and could just make out the form of the Maia Olorin and the Elf Galadriel, their faces grim masks of fear. He thought that he and the leaders of Elves and Dwarves were finally able to talk her out of this rash act. It was her last true act of being Rúnyatári, Queen of Red Flame. It was her destiny. She pulled her axes from the beasts flesh and let herself fall away.

It was like falling in slow motion. She heard that a soul's life would pass before their eyes at the moment of death, and the small life she lived both in Aman and the years she spent in Arda did just that. Several faces stood out in her mortal life; Olorin, Elihara, Elorin, Durin and Eridith, Elrond, Rohinna and Galadriel. Comrades and friends they were there for her for most of her journey. They were good friends, allies, and even then they barely believed the odd tale that was her life. Olorin stood foremost in her mind, always there to bear witness of her birth. He was a good friend and one of the wisest most caring Maia she ever met. Above them there were only two friends she let in, who cared for her as much as she did them, Kaia and Jovina. They were her family and both of them disappeared from her life without a trace, without word, without a goodbye.

Though her time in the world was short, it was much filled, she completed her tasks, and she fought her battles valiantly. She fulfilled her purpose as the creation of the Valar. Her only regret, not that she would ever tell a soul, was that she was not able to experience more life before returning home to her makers. Maybe in another life she would meet her mentor, and find her One, have a family of her own. For now she would return to her place with the Valar and wait for whatever came next.

She was sealed into the fiery depths of the volcano, she should be burning, but she wasn't. She could not burn, she was made of fire. Her skin heated as she fell, getting hotter and hotter as the body of the dragon pushed her closer and closer to the volcano. Then as she went under the hot magma the pain began as she started to drown in the lava of the boiling volcano. The magma entered her lungs, there was no way to swim around the beast it was just too big. The thick hot lava filled her lungs, she choked on the sulfur and ash, taking away her ability to breathe, and moment after agonizing moment she suffocated on the very fire that she was created out of. Then there was painlessness. Darkness. Nothingness.

She felt the darkness, the painlessness and floated there for a moment before suddenly she was falling backwards, dropping quickly through the ether. She saw light first, and then she felt the brush of her clothing against her flesh, then the heaviness of the layers of Armor, and then her weapons. She was being reborn again. Was she finally going home? The weight of her Armor and her weapons pulled her faster and faster through the empty all-consuming darkness. She fell so quickly that she could feel the wind pulling at her clothes and her hair. The hair on her arms rose, and there was a shiver on the back of her neck as she realized that she was whole again.

She heard a voice, the voice of Manwë, "Change the Hands of Fate."

Nienna spoke next, "Find all that is lost." Varda added, "Take back what is yours."

Ilúvatar spoke, "Be blessed child, and live fully, for this is to be your last."

Then through the darkness came the voice of Aulë, filled with laughter, "The Archer is the One who will teach you, Rylee."

She closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to work through the madness that was swirling around her. She was beginning to feel faint, her heart was pounding in her chest, and she could barely breathe. What did Eru mean, this was her last? Her last chance? Did she fail at the others? 'I did not fail. I don't see how, I have prevailed and succeeded in every other quest.' She thought. No she couldn't have failed, the hints were cryptic as always but she did always get the vision before the end. Then with a rush of roiling noise and heavy with beating drums and pipes and harps, she burst forth from the darkness and into a cozy candle lit room.

….

"M-Me? No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo denied adamantly looking at the group of dwarves before him.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Balin said shaking his head, Bilbo nodded in agreement. He really was not a burglar and he was not ready to risk his life on something to do with dragons!

Dwalin agreed with his brother, "Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves."

Bilbo nodded vigorously, and the others started to argue, about how best to get past the dragon, who would take the risk. Gandalf stood, rising menacingly and cast a spell of darkness over the group shuttering the candles and every single member of the company sat down at attention as he began to speak in his most powerful voice. "Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is."

Once he had the attention of everyone again he sat back down and resumed in his normal tone, "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this."

"Very well. We will do it your way." Thorin said somewhat disgruntled, wondering what in the world Gandalf thought the little Halfling could possibly offer that another member of the company could not.

"No, no, no." Bilbo protested, he was so uncertain about this whole venture. An adventure would be great, but against a dragon, across the wild lands? This was too much for someone like him.

Thorin continued talking over top of the Hobbit, "Give him the contract."

"Please." Bilbo continued to protest, no one was listening!

"Alright, we're off!" Bofur said with a spark of excitement.

Balin handed Bilbo the contract and started to contain the contents as Bilbo started to open and peruse the parchment. "It's just the usual summary of out of pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth."

"Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo repeated in shock as he stepped away to read over the long paper.

"I cannot guarantee his safety." Thorin said as he leaned over to Gandalf, so that the hobbit did not hear what he said.

"Understood," Gandalf said, it was an adventure, safety was never guaranteed on such things. He learned that from a dear friend long, long ago.

Thorin leaned back in and added, "Nor will I be responsible for his fate."

"Agreed." Gandalf said, he himself would do his best to provide that.

He was about to read a portion of the contract out loud when there was a loud rushing noise, the sound of bells tolled, the walls and tables and chairs shook and the window panes began to rattle. The candles on the table began to flicker as though wind rushed through the room lifting the map off the table and Thorin slammed his hand down on top to hold it in place. Kili and Fili pushed their chairs back as far from the table as they could go, a mere foot between them and the destruction that seemed to threaten. With a sudden burst of flaming light from the candles it ended. "What in the name of-!"

"Oh!" Kili cried from his spot at the table. Suddenly holding a young maiden in his arms, he had to scramble for a moment to keep her from falling on to the floor. The woman was clutching at Kili's chest, doing her best not to topple off of his knees. Her hands were strong as she wrapped her arms around him tightly. She was small, the girl in his arms and yet she seemed heavy, as though weighed down. From what he could tell, the majority of her bulk came from the weapons and gear that she was wearing. Over her fur cloak he could see a pair of heavy handled axes which shone brightly in the dim candle light, they made the light reflect like mirrors brightening the room. Under her cloak she wore layers of leather over chainmail and what felt like a corset made of metal rope. Under all that she felt very small. Very small indeed. Against the metal, strands of fine silk brushed against and tangled in his fingers. Hair so long that it fell below her tiny waist.

"Ah!" A very feminine voice responded. She blinked at the brightness of candlelight after her jaunt through the dark. She was haphazardly sitting on something both soft and yet hard. Feeling herself slip she reached to brace herself and felt the form of a body under her fingers. Breathing in, she reveled in the scents of the sunshine, leather, Dwarven tobacco and man. He wore a deep grayish blue tunic with finely embroidered trim. And from what she could tell, he was pure hard muscle under that tunic. She could not stop herself from wrapping her arms around him and holding on tighter, though she told herself that it was only for balance as she tried not to fall off of his knees.

"O-Ho!" Fili cried from beside his brother, suddenly holding a very finely created bow. The dark seared wooden weapon was obviously hand crafted with great care. It had runes and engravings surrounding both the top and bottom of the leather wrapped grip. He looked at his brother with shock and wondered why he got the lesser prize.

The entire group looked at the sudden intruder as she struggled to right herself on the young dwarf prince's lap. There was little enough room around the table as it was, there was little place that she could go. The hood of her heavy black fur cloak slipped back to reveal a beautiful maid, who looked to have some Dwarven heritage. Her ears which were very dwarf-like had the tiniest bit of a point to them. Her chin was bare, not a trace of beard to be seen, showed a very pale face with fine straight nose and lush lips. Her wide set eyes were a deep dark grey with white sparkling depths, framed by long thick lashes. Kili took one long look at her and clutched her tighter to his chest his left hand spread possessively around her waist and his right over her muscular thigh.

Her hair was dark, except were the candlelight hit it, then it was a deep fiery red like the dying coals of a fire. The top portion of her hair was clipped back with a thick bright red tinted metal clip, adorned with black jewels. The rest of her hair flowed loosely hidden under her cloak. There were multiple thin braids threaded throughout, the most prominent were the three braids that were plaited around each ear. A metal circlet made of braided mithril traced across her bared forehead and into her long silky hair. One band was covered in Khuzdul runes, another in Sindarin script and the third covered in Westron script. It looked like two braids that were woven and twined together along her forehead that converged into a singular untied point just above her delicate brows where a bright white star-fire diamond was inlayed into the metal.

She looked up into the eyes of her impromptu seat and her heart stopped, she gripped him a little tighter. Deep dark chocolate brown eyes engulfed her, she felt her heart fire back up and begin to race. Those piercing eyes were sparkling with life, and laughter and determination. She could live within those eyes. He had a fine straight nose, beautifully kissable lips, and a strong jaw covered in fine stubble. No beard, just a little more than a shadow that defined a strong jaw. Finally she released a breath. What in the world? At least last time the Valar left her in a vale, but no! This time they drop her into the lap of a most wonderful Dwarven male! She shook that thought away, where did it come from anyways? She had to find the teacher of the bow and change the hands of fate. She did not have time to be falling for the most gorgeous pair of dark eyes. Again, what in the world was with her!

"And who, might I ask, are you?" A voice thundered from the head of the table. Her head whipped in that direction, landing on a handsome older dwarf with thick black hair streaked with the odd lock of silver, a fierce look upon his face and keen blue eyes, and a braid in front of each ear. Recognition rocked through her, making her tense in familiar defiance. Someone cleared their throat off to her left and she looked around her and realized that she was sitting on someone's lap in the middle of a whole Company of Dwarves. How had she missed the fact that there were twelve other dwarves in the room? The entire place went silent for just a moment, as everyone stared at her. Was she more unkempt than she first thought? She was sure that she was whole, that nothing was burned or peeled away. She was not a walking skeleton or a bag of bones. She shook off the notion and introduced herself.

"Rylee Emitheral." She said coldly, snapping her reply at the man with the familiar face. An old anger filled her, an old hurt burned within her as she remembered word for word the tongue lashing he gave her. Recognition flashed in the king's eyes and she narrowed her gaze at him. Had he forgotten her? She sure hadn't forgotten him, yelling at her for being rebellious and reckless, audacious and tenacious. Then she paused for a moment, thirteen pairs of dwarf eyes stared back at her. "I gave you my name, now, who are you lot?"

Thorin looked at the woman on his nephew's lap, taking in her appearance, and her bearing. She was not speaking formally, like royalty, yet her crown indicated that she was from royalty. She was a spitfire, defiant, and rebellious. His heart stopped, and then it started to race. It was her. Seventy Two years before, on this very day he planted a tree at her birth, he named her, and this day she looked him with the same spite and defiance she had the last time he saw her. For seven years she was missing from his dreams, seven worry-full years was all it took to change her from a wild adventurous girl into a cold, hardened warrior queen. One who now looked at him with hurt and hate in her eyes. Thorin growled at the stubborn girl, "Your full name, Rylee, like you were taught."

She met his eyes with an angry glare and for a moment he was sure she would defy him, not that it was an odd occurrence for her to do so. "Fine, you want my full name? I am Rylee Emitheral, Daughter of Aulë, I am Rúnyatári the Queen of Red Flame, Lady of Grace, and Champion of the People. I am called Wolfsong, Blood Queen, and Firebrand by my enemies. But I swear -."

"Enough! Hold your tongue Mahalul!" Thorin hollered at her making the entire company jump in surprise. Thorin watched as her entire face deadened into a hard cold mask, her rage sparked through her eyes. With that one command he brought her defiance to the surface.

"Make me, Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King of Durin's Folk! I gave you my bloody proper name, now tell me who the rest of you are." Rylee kept her face void of her anger and demanded from her place on the lap of the handsome dwarf. The silence stretched and the tension rose, as Thorin blinked at her audacity. She knew exactly who she was speaking to and still she had the nerve to speak to him in anger. As far as she was concerned she had every right to defy him. She could see that her placement on his lap was bothering Thorin, so just for spite she decided to stay. She shot him a glare and held even tighter to her chocolate eyed savior.

Her eyes followed the group as they each introduced themselves; Bofur, Balin, Gloin, Nori, Dori, and Ori. Then came Bombur, who from her position, was technically both beside her and behind her.

"I am Fili," Said the blonde that she was facing towards, he gave her a cheeky grin, "The lap you are sitting in belongs to my brother Kili."

"Fili," She nodded at him in acknowledgement before turning to once again looked up at Kili. Immediately she was pulled into his eyes as she whispered, "Hello, Kili."

"At your service, Miss Rylee," he whispered back, a shiver ran through her entire body, he could feel it everywhere they touched. She gasped, blushing prettily and then bit her lip before breaking eye contact. Her fine white teeth on her bottom lip drew his eyes, perfectly pink, kissable lips.

She was sitting on Kili, facing Fili who was holding her bow. She looked expectantly at the rest of the Company and they introduced themselves as Oin, Bifur and Dwalin. Bifur, with an axe injury to his head, grunted in Khuzdul and signed in Iglishmek that he was pleased to meet her and she answered in kind, with everyone staring in shock. She looked at the little hobbit reading the contract at the far end of the table, waiting expectantly. Gandalf got his attention and the Halfling turned to look at her, "My apologies, I am Bilbo Baggins, at your service. Wait! Where did you come from?"

"I, um, dropped in." Rylee looked at him with a raised eyebrow and several of the dwarves chuckled quietly. One very tall wizard sat with his back to her. It was he, the wizard, who made her pause; he seemed to be looking very concernedly at the little Halfling in the hallway. When she arrived he had become very tense, she could see the rigidity in his tall frame as he sat near the doorway. He was the same and yet so very different. When he turned to her Rylee narrowed her eyes and whispered, "The Valar take me, Olorin? Nay! It cannot be! How is this possible? You are so, so-, Old!"

"Olorin? Who is Olorin?" Fili asked the others, all of them shook their heads and looked at the strange girl for an explanation. He looked into her dark eyes and noticed the odd sparks that flickered within, they were not normal eyes. Very expressive in an almost unexpressive face, as though she was wearing a mask, but her eyes gave away her true feelings. She was in shock.

"Well, him of course! The Maia! The - the wizard!" Rylee looked at Fili, her expression remained serious. She studied the blonde dwarf for a moment. Brother to Kili, Fili was also a handsome dwarf, just not her taste. Blond hair, familiar crystal blue eyes, the braids of a prince, he was directly related to Thorin. Son? Nephew? Definitely heir to the throne, if his braids were any indication, he looked much like the original Durin. It was uncanny really, the only difference was the braid placement.

"I have not heard that name in ages. The last time I heard that name in Middle-Earth was before the battle of Ancalagon," Olorin's voice said out of Not-Olorin's body. 'No, it could not be him.' Rylee thought. When she saw him last, not twenty minutes before, he was younger, with a fine young handsome face, his hair was blonde long and flowing, he had no beard and wore rich blue cloaks and tunics that were fitting of the Maia. This man was much older, his beard and hair were long and grey, his face aged and weathered. Lines from years of laughter and tears graced his wizened face. This was not possible, and he looked as surprised to see her as she was him, "My dear, Rylee Emitheral, is it really you, after all of these years?"

"Ages? Years?" She all but squeaked in response. She looked at him as though he lost his mind, Gandalf nearly laughed as her mask slipped away in her moment of shock. There was the girl he first met, the one who wore her emotions honestly and openly. "But I just-, you just-, I just! Just-!"

"Just what?" Kili asked his voice was low and honeyed, raw in some ways. Rylee looked at the owner of the voice. Kili's voice, once again, caused shivers to run down her spine. She met his eyes, and blinked in surprise as her heart stopped for a second time, her mind reeled and her breath caught. There a twinkling curiosity lit the dark chocolate depths of his dark eyes. She could feel his hands tangled in her hair under her cloak, she felt the gentle pull on her scalp, a shock of warm fire arced through her and bit her lip as she fought herself from issuing a pleasured sigh. Unexpected warmth radiated out from her core. If she was not holding tight she would have fallen off his lap. Hair touching was always painful for her, this was not painful, it was the exact opposite.

Fili watched in awe as the stoic look dropped away, first, in surprise at her response Gandalf's question, then it changed drastically when the girl looked at his little brother. Kili rarely ever received looks like that one, one of absolute adoration followed by raw hunger. Her reaction was not missed by Thorin either, who cleared his throat loudly drawing everyone's curious eyes away from her.

"I just saw him. I d-died, just minutes ago." Her voice was soft and quiet, she tried not to show him her fear and her pain, but somehow she just could not hide it from him. She looked up at him trying to will him to understand what she meant. She forcibly tore her eyes away to look back at her extremely aged friend, the mask slid back into place as she asked, "What happened? Did you not just arrive from the Undying Lands? Has it truly been ages?"

"Six thousand years give or take since you were summoned to Middle-Earth." Olorin said as he leaned forward and she shrank into the arms holding her. In the rational part of her mind she knew that Olorin would never hurt her, but his answer terrified her, six thousand years passed? And why was he so different? He was Maia, he should not look like this. She felt Kili's arms tighten around her, Rylee looked up that him, her eyes wide and inexplicably she started to calm. Again she worried her lip as she thought about this inexplicable reaction to the dwarf.

"It is okay. Gandalf won't hurt you, regardless of what you call him."Kili said, seeing her fear, held her tighter, instinctively protective. Mahal, when she bit her lip like that he wanted to kiss her. What the hell? She was bringing all sorts of odd feelings out of him. This did not bode well for either of them. Especially considering her tone of voice every time she addressed his Uncle, she showed him almost no respect even though she knew exactly who he was. Even still, Kili had no desire to let her go, and was more than pleased to hold her in his arms.

Gandalf put his hands on the table and he sat back in his seat, not coming any closer. It was a placating gesture, "You were right about the prophesy, the dragon was defeated, and the Valar were successful in their campaign against Morgoth. I returned to the Undying Lands upon your departure as I always do. I was sent here at the beginning of the Third Age as an Istari, to help defeat a dark power. Now why you are here ages later in time? I can only guess that it would be for the last dragon."

"How many ages, and what dragon?" She whispered, trying to will her heart to slow down. Her head whirled as she worked through the information she was given and the possible reasons she would jump so far forward through time. There was a shuffling noise beside Olorin as her Dwarven audience moved closer to hear their conversation. She looked at Olorin's long white beard and then back up at his now concerned twinkling eyes.

"This is the year 2941 of the Third Age, my dear Rylee, and you have not aged a day." Gandalf said his voice was quiet. He was avoiding the question about the dragon on purpose.

"Of course not Olorin! I rode Ancalagon into the Thangorodrim just minutes ago! A person doesn't age much in a few bleeding minutes!" She told him coldly, Rylee was quite exasperated. What was he not understanding about what she was telling him? She struggled to retain her calm demeanor, but her frustration was coloring her voice. "Except you say two ages have passed? Where am I? Why am I here? No! I mean I know my quest, but not why I am here, now! Ugh-!" Rylee dropped her head to Kili's shoulder and whispered, "What in the name of Eru is going on?"

"Calm down, Rylee, you are going to make poor Kili deaf! It's not like you have never skipped time before." Olorin admonished her.

Rylee lifted her head and shot a dark glare at Gandalf. Thorin wondered if looks could kill, how it would rate. Obliteration was a contender with that look. He nearly laughed, secretly glad that this time he was not the recipient of that look. This was the girl he remembered, feisty and fiery, and full of life. He shook it off; she was a woman now, not a little girl. He had so many questions: Why was she wearing this cold façade? What happened in the last seven years? When did she become a queen? What did the Valar have her do? What was she here for now? Not that he was complaining. If she was here for their quest then they were blessed to have the War Maiden of The Valar in their company.

"Seventy two years is a little different from six thousand, Olorin," Rylee warned her friend. He was toying with her and aged or not, she would take him to task for it. She pointedly ignored the looks of confusion and bewilderment that were passed around the table. "At least last time I was still in the same damn age!"

Bilbo was supposed to be reading his contract, but the strange happenings at his table were much more intriguing. Was this maid truly from the First Age? In Hobbit years she looked no older than twenty, barely out of her adolescence, she was quite pretty but much too tall for a Hobbit. She was charismatic, engaging. He shook the feeling off and watched in amusement as the events unfolded.

"All of your father's fire," Gandalf chuckled, the twinkle sparkling in his eyes. Rylee glowered at him darkly in return; a warning of white sparks firing in her deep gray eyes. "You are in the Shire, In Mister Baggins home. A dragon now lives in the Lonely Mountain. The mines of Erebor and the city of Dale were all but destroyed by it over two hundred years ago. It is now hoarding the Dwarven gold, keeping these Dwarves from their home."

"Gandalf? Why does she call you Olorin?" A younger dwarf with a book and a quill in hand asked with extreme interest. He had a bowl shaped haircut with several braids and a sheepish yet curious face. He backed off just a little as Rylee shot the dwarf a perplexed look. She recalled that his name started with an O and that he was sitting with his two brothers but otherwise his name was lost among the others. Regardless, this was her interview she would have no more interruptions.

"Olorin is the name that Rylee knows me by, Ori," Olorin said to the curious little dwarf, he met her eye and told her gently, "I am known by Gandalf now. Gandalf the Grey."

Rylee slipped her feet towards the floor and sat up a little straighter, nearly tumbling once again off of Kili's lap. He grabbed her waist, drawing her even closer against him and righted her so that she was sitting on one of his knees with her arm around his shoulders. The moment her fingers touched his hair, she methodically started brushing through the tangled dark waves, softly working out the snarls she could feel. She forced herself to stop. Hair touching was an act of courting. She didn't even know him other than his name! Performing courting rituals not twenty minutes after her arrival was probably not the best way to start her fourth quest. She tried not to give any consideration that his handsome face and kissable lips were only inches away from her own, that his hands were still tangled in her hair, around her waist and under her cloak. She was burning up from the intimacy. She closed her eyes and focused, instead concentrating on the fact that she was facing the table and could see better the faces that sat around it.

Rylee completely missed the exchange of glances as Kili and Fili realized that Kili was now partially wrapped in Rylee's heavy fur cloak. He didn't even mind that her fingers brushed through the hair at the nape of his neck, gentle fingers brushing his collar, combing through his hair. Her long dark hair tangling with his own, her face and those lips mere inches from his. Kili was more than pleased to have the maiden there, and Fili's envious look made the situation even sweeter. With his hands secure around her waist he also noticed that Maiden on his lap was not very big, and he wondered exactly how tiny she was without the extensive Armor and layers of leather.

Fili could not believe what he was witnessing, the girl's fingers brushed through Kili's hair, right at the nape of his neck and Kili did not protest. Kili hated when people touched his hair, he rarely let their mother touch his hair. He watched as Rylee tried to ignore Kili, and yet with her arm braced around Kili's shoulder her fingers were softly caressing Kili's hair. She closed her eyes for a moment and moved her hand away, like someone forcibly moved it, she was that reluctant. Kili was focused on her, studying her intently, but said not a single word about her fingers combing subconsciously through his dark hair. Then he noticed Kili's hands under the cloak, one arm wrapped possessively around her waist as the other combed through her hair. They barely spoke to each other and they were already touching hair? He was so going to bug him about this later.

"Gandalf," She tested the name on her tongue, wrinkled her nose and looked at him, with a hard glare. At least he had the decency to look chagrined for just a moment. She had questions and by Valar she was going to get the answers. "You spoke of a dragon. What dragon is it?"

"Rylee, you cannot think to-," Gandalf started, and she cut him off by holding up her hand. She wore fingerless gloves that were covered with red stained chainmail. The entire hobbit hole fell into a stunned silence, as the rest of the company realized that the woman was fully dressed for war.

"Dragons and quests go hand in hand. It is my sworn duty to seek out and assist in the destruction of the vile beasts. They are why I was created the way I am so stop bloody stalling and tell me. What is the name of the Dragon, Gandalf?" She was queenly, she was demanding, she was nearly tyrannical in her want of information. A white glimmer lit her eyes when she spoke of her duty; she still had lust for the hunt, for the kill. Thorin's chest rose in pride, she was everything a War Maiden of The Valar was meant to be.

Gandalf ran his hand over his face in aggravation, "I forgot how frustrating you were. It is Smaug. Smaug lies under Erebor."

"So Smaug would be the fourth dragon, to mark my fourth quest? I take it you are all gathered here to go after the Dragon Smaug then?" Rylee looked around the table. They all looked a little shocked. Thorin barely shook his head 'Not and from the odd fearful looks on their faces she didn't quite get it right, then it dawned on her. She chuckled darkly, "Ah! You want to reclaim Erebor and the mines! You do realize you will have to slay the Dragon to do that right? Unless of course that is why I am here and I have to destroy the beast myself."

"There has not been movement in the mountain for sixty years. We believe that Smaug is no longer a threat." Thorin looked at Rylee sitting on his nephews lap. She wore a mithril diadem, engraved in the sacred runes of the dwarves, men and Elves. What in the name of the Valar happened to her, that she was now this cold hard creature, imperial and royal? He raised her to be a War Maiden of The Valar, not some First Age queen! And not some second rate dragon slayer either! She could not really be thinking that she was to go after Smaug alone!

"Ha! I will believe that when I see it. Dragons don't just go away, they must be slain! Curse Morgoth and his blasted drakes! I hate dragons!" She growled angrily slamming her fist on the table with a heavy thump. Every dwarf in the room jumped at the sound and stared at her as if she had two heads. They all looked at her hand, wrapped in leather and blood stained metal mail. She met each and every pair of eyes except for Kili's, if she looked at him she would get lost again. This was not the time for that. "Pardon me. I do suppose I will need a map to Erebor and I will be on my way."

The silence was broken then as the entire group started to protest. Kili hands tightened around her waist, pulling her protectively against him. She was caught between the dual desires to give in to his protection and to fight out of his grasp. She blinked in confusion as she heard him whisper an appalled, 'Not, his brother also protested. Thorin looked at her as though he was about to explode, she was certain that he was going to tell her she was too young, too reckless and not ready for such a quest. It was always the same argument with him. That and Magic. He hated it when she used magic. She bristled visibly as well, clenching her fists in her leather and mithril gauntlets. There was no way she would be left behind like some little housemaid or dwarrowdam! She was a War Maiden of The Valar! A dragon lived under that mountain and she was sent here to help kill it. There was no way that she was going to allow this group of dwarves to go off on some quest to win back their mountain without her. She was made to kill dragons. Besides she was to change the hands of fate and she could not do that from a Hobbit Hole.

"You are not going after the dragon alone!" Thorin hollered from the head of the table, Kili and Fili flinched. They knew that tone very well, it was a tongue lashing in the making. Silence reigned as everyone felt appeased that the maid was not going. As pleased as he was that Thorin told Rylee she was not going after the dragon, Kili felt Rylee stiffen as though ready for battle. Then Thorin shocked them all as he continued, "You will travel with us, or not at all."

"Before this discussion goes further, I think it wise that you remove your Armor, Rylee, you might scratch Bilbo's table. And you must be boiling to death in those layers," Gandalf told her, a twinkle in his eyes. "It is spring now, not mid-winter."

"Gandalf is right, we might be at odds but we are not at war, there is no need for your Armor. And although Kili does not seem to mind, it is not proper for someone of your status to sit like that, Rylee. You are Mahal's daughter, you should act like it." Thorin admonished her. Especially not with her taking up occupancy on his nephew's lap, the pair seemed altogether too cozy already and she had been here for no more than twenty minutes. Kili was a prince and at the moment he too was not acting in any way with proper decorum. If his nephew was going to touch the girl, he should do it properly. There were steps to courting, and they should follow them. Did he really just think that? Was he really okay with Kili courting Rylee? Of all the unions he could think of for his youngest nephew, this one was the oddest pairing.

"Oh," Rylee said with a surge of guilt and embarrassment, as she really thought about her intimate position on Kili. She looked up at him, a guilty grin lifting her lips. It took everything in her not to be swept away once again, since the moment she met his eyes she no longer wanted to go anywhere. "He's right, you know, I should give you back your lap."

Fili watched in amusement as an almost pained expression flashed across Kili's face as he considered letting the girl go. He was even more surprised by the mirror image of it flash across the little queen's face as she looked at Kili. It was like watching an intimate conversation.

"There is no way around the table," Fili reminded everyone, trying to assist his brother, Thorin growled from the far side of the table and the trio froze.

"No, but there is over or under," Rylee said with a sigh of regret, as she instinctively understood the meaning of that growl. She turned back to Kili giving him a warm smile, "Thank you for the comfortable landing, Kili."

"T'was my pleasure, Rylee," He grinned back, she swept her feet to the floor and he steadied her as she moved. He stood with her and offered his hand as she stepped onto his chair and then onto the table. He tried to hide the displeasure of having her leave him, instead keeping a smirk on his face as he watched her move away.

Fili leaned over as Rylee walked over the table and straight out said under his breath, "I saw that."

"What?" Kili asked watching as the dim light in the dining room reflected off of the heavy silver axes she wore on her back, like fairy wings.

"You had your hand in her hair the entire time," Fili teased his brother, nudging him, trying to get Kili to stop staring after the maid. "Since when do you touch hair, or even let maids play with your hair?"

"It was only for a second, Fili, while she was getting settled. I am sure it meant nothing. Her fingers are really gentle though," Kili whispered back feeling a little thunderstruck, she was sheer perfection. He could barely conceal his discontent of her having to leave him and was even more displeased when Thorin stood and helped her down on the other side, not liking another male touching her, not even his uncle. What in the world was wrong with him?

"Rylee Emitheral," Thorin growled his greeting, but he her offered his hand and his seat so she could step down.

"Thorin Oakenshield," She growled just as fiercely, she stopped beside him and looked up into those true blue eyes. He was different than she remembered. He seemed darker, colder, and more distant. The time spent on Aman seemed so long ago, so much happened since the last night she saw him, they spoke angry words to each other. Much changed since that time, she was a different person. Fear that he was still angry with her gripped her heart, but she didn't show him any emotion, no one could know of her inner fears. She forced herself not to show a single emotion, no one could know of her pain or sorrow. She was still angry with him, but he was her mentor, and she cared for him.

"Ugshar?" She raised her hand and for the first time in all her years she brushed her fingers from his brow, to his cheekbone, to his beard covered chin. The entire company gasped at the intimate contact, but neither Thorin nor Rylee saw or heard. Kili burned in frustration. Did she just call him 'teacher'? Who in the name of Durin was this woman and why did he want to hold her and not let go?

"Mahalul," Thorin whispered as his hand travelled the same path down her face, to her chin. He spent years dreaming of meeting her and finally she was here, he wanted to crush her in a tight hug but he could not hold her. He didn't even know if she would allow such a thing. The fact that she instigated face touching was a shock to him, a pleasant shock and an honor. "We will talk later, you and I. Privately."

"Thorin, how do you know Rylee?" Gandalf asked quietly watching the pair interact. How was it possible that a girl from Aman have such a familiar relationship with a King from the Third Age?

"It is complicated," Thorin stated simply, looking at the wizard sitting beside him.

"Try the simple story, Thorin," Rylee challenged, as she stepped away from him. Her face returned to its cold countenance, her eyes sparkling, and her voice sarcastic, "I would truly love to hear you explain what I am to you."

Thorin shot her a dark look and he hesitated. How did one explain their relationship without going into useless detail? And how did he do it before Rylee started to sass him for being too slow in answering? Too late, she narrowed her eyes at him and, started counting off on her fingers, "Other than a reckless inept, and a regrettable pain in your hide. Too full of sass for my own good; I do believe those were your last words to me. Right after you told me that I would never be a War Maiden, I was nothing more than a spoiled brat who knew nothing of the world or the hardships of our people and that my selfishness would be my death."

They shared a look, Thorin regretted those words since the moment they left his mouth and from the searing flash of pain that swept through her glittering grey eyes; they still hurt her. He needed to talk to her. "This is neither the time nor place Rylee, don't push it."

"Well get on with it then, Ugshar, explain who I am, and how you know me," Rylee smirked, her eyes sparked as they glowered up at him in challenge. "Mahal knows they won't believe me."

"I met her seventy-two years ago today," Thorin announced to the group, daring any of them to protest his declaration. Rylee glared at him as he introduced her, a hard glimmer in her eyes, and the same daring look on her face. "The Valar asked me to be her mentor and guardian when she was born, which makes her my student and my god-daughter. I helped raise her."

"Really? So today is the anniversary of my creation?" Rylee asked in surprise, her eyebrows shot up. Her mask of indifference slipped away for a moment before she caught herself. She huffed sarcastically, "Happy Birthday to Me, then."

The entire company looked on in complete shock. They were completely blown away by the events happening around them. Of all of the Dwarves gathered in the Hobbit Hole only two knew Thorin had a student of any kind, much less a god-daughter. Even those two were unaware that the child was one who was apparently a coroneted queen in her own right. The girl wouldn't even be considered an adult for another three years, and she was already some sort of queen?

**These translations may not be accurate (I am doing my best to learn though):**

**The Dwarrow Scholar (Language! Khuzdul Dictionary anyone?):**

**Ugshar - Teacher**

**Mahalul - Daughter of Mahal**

**So for research on this story I have used the following sites:**

**Lord of the Rings Wiki**

**Ardalambion**

**Encyclopedia of Arda**

**Tolkien Gateway**

**Midgardsmal **


	2. Strange Tales

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either.**

Chapter 2

Strange Tales

"Your Majesty. May I take your cloak?" Bilbo asked her, setting aside his contract for the moment as he remembered his duties as a host. He looked up at the pair in his foyer, he didn't know much about dwarves, but this face touching seemed almost ritualistic. The others seemed to be shocked by the reunion, but Bilbo didn't understand what the big deal was. She looked at him, with bright eyes in a stoic face. Bilbo could see the evidence of the King's mentorship; it was there in her mannerisms and in the inflections of her accent.

"Thank you, but please, let us not stand on formality, I prefer Rylee," She told him, it was a command, not an offer of pleasantry. She looked back at the others at the table, "That stands for everyone present."

"If there is damage to the table, I will have it repaired, Mr. Baggins." Thorin said to Bilbo as he watched Rylee look for a place to put her things. She carried large rounded battle axes, which looked almost dainty in their shining glory. They were finely made of bright silver metal and had red blades and red runes etched into the silver heads. When wearing them she looked like an angel with wings of blooded silver death. The holster that she wore for them was threadbare, singed, darkened, covered in ash, indicating that the weapons themselves were well used.

"When did you make these weapons, Rylee, I do not remember you having them," Thorin asked quietly, watching her as her entire frame stiffened at the question. He didn't remember her making these weapons, but then he was only able to spend a few hours each night with her. So much of her life, he missed, it was what created such distance between them. Since her first hunt she became aloof and distant, always more defiant, and rebellious, pushing the boundaries. Because of that hunt she was allowed no attachments to any but Aulë, not even with him. They told him to keep his distance from her, to only teach her and discipline her when required. The moment he withdrew from her emotionally, he lost control of her, she went wild. Just as he told Aulë that she would.

"In the weeks leading up to my first quest," She replied as she removed the holster and the axes contained within. "They were of divine inspiration. Don't you recall we argued about wielding the magic required to make them?" She shot him a warning look, she was not interested in this argument. She turned to the Hobbit and asked softly, "Is there a place I can stow my belongings, Mister Baggins?"

Without a word Bilbo showed her a place for her things, and silently gestured that he would take her cloak for her. He was enthralled, of all his unexpected guests she was the most polite. She put her holster in the place he indicated and then she unhooked her thick black fur cloak and handed it to him. Bilbo nearly fell over from the weight of the fur and he looked up at the small girl in surprise. Though she was a few inches or two taller than he, and even more slight than he was. How could she possibly wear something so heavy? He hung the cloak on a hook by the main entrance door. He went back to his contract, but instead of reading he continued to follow the odd things happening with the Dwarves.

Thorin's eyes followed Rylee as she removed her cloak for the Hobbit, revealing her form. She was tiny, just as he remembered. From what he could see, it seemed that every piece of Armor she wore was covered in runes, and every rune was stained red with blood, yet even in those dark red places the metal shone ethereally. Equally blood stained gauntlets, greaves and braces joined her heavy axes. Then she removed an extremely long silver coil of rounded snake-like metal from her middle, revealing her very tiny waist. It was not just mail, but a blasted metal coil creating bulk around the girl.

"What is that?" Thorin asked watching her from the table, pointing at the long thin metal whip in her hand. She held the pommel and flicked it out.

"It is a battle whip," Rylee said, flicking it across the floor. The end slapped and made a loud crack that made the entire company wince. "It is my favorite weapon above even my battle axes. Excuse me, one more moment and I will be right with you."

They watched Rylee coil the whip, swirling it up and clipping the ends into a perfect circle. Gloin muttered something about how it was not possible for a whip to be deadly and even less likely for a whip to be made out of metal and be light enough to wear on a body. Several members chuckled at the remark.

"Always a naysayer in every bunch," Rylee said as she rolled her eyes. She sighed, and met Gandalf's knowing eyes. He winked at her, and gave her a smile. She still thought it weird that he looked like an old man rather than his normal self. It would take some getting used to.

Kili elbowed Fili as they looked on, watching the maid start undressing before them. She took off a long fitted leather jacket followed by a leather tunic, and a shining silver mail corselet, finally revealing a long thin deep gray tunic that clung to her very womanly form and hung to the tops of her thighs. Gandalf and Thorin shared a chuckle as she swore in frustration about winter and the cold and the layers. Then she folded her clothes carefully and placed it all onto a cushion. Tugging her dark grey tunic back into place she moved back towards the large gathering.

She pulled her hair back off of her face, unclipping the top portion of her hair before combing her fingers through the dark strands. Kili noticed that she had a multitude of long thin braids and beads scattered through her hair, most were extremely thin and threaded with fine black jewel beads. Some were like Fili's, indicating family ties and status. Jealousy piqued when he noticed one that stood out from the others, a courting braid. She finished combing her fingers through her hair, then she began to plait an inverted braid above the other three around her left ear. Once she reached the bottom she enclosed it into a clasp that was identical to the other three that hung with it. Then she did the same to the other side of her head. Kili could not have stopped the question if he tried, "What do those braids mean to you Rylee? They are not queen braids."

"Why would I need queen braids, since the diadem does not come off?" Everyone was watching her like a hawk, and every one of them wore expressions of blatant curiosity. She looked up at them and raised a brow in question, "Fourth life, Fourth braid, are there any other questions you would like me to answer?"

"Is that mithril mail?" Nori asked his eyes were wide, eyeing the corselet on the cushion Rylee looked up at him and detected a little more than envy in their depths.

"Yes? Of course! What else would I make my Armor out of?" Rylee asked slowly. She was more than a little confused. Thorin just chuckled, he knew about Rylee's love for the shining metal, she loved it more than gold and her favorite gems were black diamonds.

"Mithril is very rare nowadays, Rylee," Gandalf told her, watching her with a glint of humor in his eyes. "What you carry on you right now is worth more than Rivendell and that is saying a lot."

"You mean it is all mithril?" Fili asked incredulously. She was covered in Armor, and every piece she wore was made of mithril? Fili could not believe his eyes; she was richer than most Kings. Even his uncle did not hold such riches. Then another shock set in, she did not care for her Armor, allowing it to stain! "You allowed your mithril Armor to become blood stained?"

"Yes, mithril and dragon hide. Mahal made my Armor for me since I cannot sew, he makes all of my clothes, but I made my weapons in Mahal's Forge. Mithril is not scarce in Aman!" Rylee told them in all seriousness. They looked back at her like she was completely out of her mind, she returned the look. She had the attention of every dwarf in the room. "As for that second question, the blood was added to the metal as it was created, not after. It is Blood Mithril."

"There is no such thing," Kili said staunchly meeting Fili's eyes, they looked at her in confusion, as an apprentice weapons smith they knew these things. There were dyes and pigments that could be added to metal to change their color, but he never heard of adding blood to the metal. It would burn away in the fire. He looked at Thorin for confirmation, but Thorin shook his head. Kili was shocked into silence.

"I beg to differ, considering I made it with my own blood." Rylee said. She reached behind her back and pulled out her long dagger that she kept hidden in a scabbard along her spine and handed it to Thorin. It was silver mithril with a red blooded blade. There were runes written into the metal handle and up the blades, all written in shining red. "It is an ancient practice, which I learned from Mahal. You likely no longer use the practice, considering the kind of power it takes to create it."

Thorin admired her weapon with a mixture of delight and frustration. He knew that she was a talented weapon smith, Mahal and Eru often honored and admired her craftsmanship. It was the making of blood mithril that cost them their closeness, he didn't like the idea of her harming herself to make the metal, and she didn't see the problem considering that her blood was the source of her magic. They argued constantly about it, and even more so when he found out that she planned to spend a week in the forge using that very magic. He could feel her eyes on him as he looked over the weapon, she was waiting, he knew for some response from him. He said nothing before he handed the dagger Dwalin, and Balin, both took their time to look over the blade.

Dwalin spun the blade on his own knuckle blade covered hands and whistled low under his breath. He handed it off to Fili, who knew more about knives than any of the others, having a love of both throwing knives and daggers of all kinds. Fili tried to find a single fault with the red stained blade and found nothing. He and his brother both looked over the knife, before passing it along while Rylee waited patiently for her knife to return.

"You mean the weapons are made with mithril too?" Kili asked as he looked at her with more than a little shock. The blade made its way around the table and once it returned she secreted it away behind her back.

"My main fighting weapons, yes, I have others that are not. May I have my bow, please?" She met his eyes and nodded once, then watched carefully as the bow passed from Fili to Oin then Bifur, Dwalin, Gandalf and finally Thorin. Not one rune lit up.

Gandalf asked as Thorin handed her the weapon, "Still nothing?"

"Not that I have seen, Gandalf the Grey." Rylee returned, meeting his eyes. He was the only one who knew her reasons for carrying a bow she could not use. "So when did you become a wizard?"

"Almost two thousand years ago, myself and four others were sent to Middle-Earth to help fight a great dark power that settled upon the land." Gandalf said quietly, watching her as she traced her fingers lovingly over her bow. "I asked Manwë why they did not send you, and he said that your heart too filled with suffering to be of any help to our quest. He said the darkness would consume you."

"Darkness follows me, Gandalf, as much as I fight it off, it is always there," Rylee sighed softly, she carried her bow and placed it with the rest of her gear and stood beside the hobbit who was reading through the contract in his hands, having quite a fit. She could not help but wonder why he would want to go after a dragon. "What's with the paper?"

"It is a contract for our Burglar," Balin told her sagely, "It entails all the necessary arrangements for the quest we are undertaking."

"I see. Actually, I don't see why you would need a burglar, but I am sure you have your reasons." She said meeting the Elder Dwarf's eyes.

Bilbo was skimming through the contract and he started to read out loud, "Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations ... evisceration … incineration?"

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur said, his eyes wide.

Bilbo just looked at him, trying to catch his breath. The funny dwarf with the hat, who teased him about crochet, was now teasing him about dragons. He just could not take it anymore. "Huh."

Then she turned and put a hand on his shoulder, "Courage is found not in the absence of fear, but in despite of your fear. If Olorin – I mean, Gandalf feels that you are capable enough, then I believe you are as well."

"Thank you, but I don't know if I can do this." Bilbo looked up into her dark sparking eyes, his own were wide with fear. He watched her thoughtfully for a moment before turning back to the contract.

"Mister Baggins, we are all capable of accomplishing impossible feats. Even if we do not feel capable at the time," She could almost see him shaking. She knew that there was nothing more that she could say, and she refused to sway him one way or another. She would not pressure a person into something they felt they could not do. She shrugged her shoulders and walked away, whispering under her breath, "Believe me, I would know."

Bilbo heard this, she sounded almost disheartened. She came off as strong and fierce and well, royal. To hear her as she walked away, she seemed deeply saddened.

"Is there any food left?" she asked as she wandered toward the pantry. There was a great amount of laughter at her question and she wondered if that meant no. The larder was near empty and anything edible needed to be cooked first. She scowled. She couldn't cook. She could make bows and arrows, shields or forge an axe or a sword, but cooking, that was on her list of things she could not do. "Oh, dear, I am either going to starve or I need to find an Inn."

Balin smirked at the girl's mutterings and watched the Hobbit carefully and asked from his seat, "You all right, laddie?"

Bilbo ignored the girl's muttering and tried in vain to stop his mind from swirling, his stomach from flipping and his eyes from falling backwards. "Uh, yeah...Feel a bit faint."

"Think furnace with wings." Bofur provided, continuing on in his description of dragons.

"Air, I - I - I need air." Bilbo said, he didn't realize it could get even harder to breathe.

"Unless you have looked a dragon in the eye, and walked through its fire, nothing can prepare you for the reality of what a dragon is, stop harassing the poor hobbit," Rylee growled at the group from the pantry.

Bofur ignored her and the hobbit and kept going, amused by the little Halflings reaction to what he was saying, "Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! You're nothing more than a pile of ash."

Bilbo could feel himself breathing, why didn't it feel like he was getting any air? He just needed some air. He felt his body stiffen for a moment, his eyes fell back and he just could not hold on any longer, "Hmmm. Nope."

There was a thump behind her as the hobbit fell over, passed out from fear. The dwarves scrambled to help him up and took him to a chair. Silence followed for a moment before Gandalf invoked a spell to wake Bilbo from his faint. Rylee shook her head and turned back to her hunt for food knowing that Gandalf would take care of the little fellow, and she continued to look into the nearly empty pantry. A heavy rotund dwarf with a thick red beard came in behind her. "Can you cook, my dear, or might I make you something?"

"No, I am a horrid cook. I burn everything, including the kitchen." She whispered in confession. "Nienna says it's because I work with metal, the temperature is always too high. I think it's because kitchens hate me."

"That's perfectly alright my dear. I love cooking. I will fix you something in a jiffy." He told her, with a jolly smile. He started grabbing items from around the kitchen and the pantry, within minutes he offered her a bowl of rich, heavenly smelling stew. "I am Bombur, if you recall."

"Thank you for the food, Bombur, I am famished," She replied as her stomach growled loudly and went back to the dining room, where Kili and his brother were still sitting, she could feel their eyes on her. She ignored the pair, terrified that if she looked at Kili she would not be able to stop staring at him.

She watched the others around her as she ate her meal and drank her mead. The dwarves scattered throughout the home of Mr. Baggins, finding comfort where they might and talking amongst themselves. Young Bilbo was still resting and talking to Gandalf. Balin and Thorin were talking quietly in the entry way. She was getting interested glances from every member of the group as they came and went and some very angry stern glances from one titan haired Dwarf with many braids and beads. She ignored it, women were rarely allowed on quests of this nature, dwarves in particular were protective of their females. Yet here she was, a dwarrowdam who blatantly offered to take the most dangerous role of their quest, it would not sit well with most of the Company. Once she was done eating she took her dishes to the kitchen and cleaned up.

With trepidation she walked up to Thorin and Balin and waited for a break in the conversation before she met Thorin's eyes, it was a challenge, and she expected him to deny her. "You owe me a braid."

"You are right, I do." Thorin chuckled as he met Rylee's eyes, she seemed surprised and somewhat subdued when he indicated that she should turn around. She did and pulled out the clip that held her hair away from her face, Thorin chose a long strand of hair. As he started to weave a plait into her hair that signified their odd relationship, he looked at Balin, Dwalin entered and stood beside his brother, "Balin, Dwalin, I would like to properly introduce you to Rylee, My god-daughter. I told you about her. Until seven years ago, I spent every night in the dream world helping to teach her to be a great warrior."

Balin remembered quite well the stories that Thorin told them of the girl. In the beginning Thorin himself thought that he was succumbing to madness and had confided in Balin about his odd dreams, but as the years passed Balin convinced Thorin that perhaps these dreams were in fact some sort of reality. Finally Thorin agreed and they often discussed the girl and her growth, they often made comparisons between Rylee and Thorin's nephews. While Fili and Kili were a handful as young boys, they steadied out as they grew, focusing their energies into their training and their work. Rylee was a dream child, bright and eager to please as a dwarfling, then she hit adolescence and she went wild and started to push every boundary, defying both Mahal and Thorin at every turn. Thorin's frustration with her became evident in waking life as he once again compared the girl to his nephews.

"What happened seven years ago?" Balin asked looking at the girl as Thorin braided her hair. He smiled encouragingly at her so she offered a small smile back at him. He was about her height, with long white hair and long forked beard. He was wearing red coats, and heavy boots. She liked his honest face, the face of a friend. No wonder Thorin liked him.

"I left Aman to come to Arda," Rylee said after a long moment since Thorin would not know the answer she provided it. She ignored the slight pain and irritation that she felt as he weaved his braid into her hair. This was her normal reaction to braiding. She glanced again at Kili wondering once again why his touch was different. "When I was brought here the connection was severed. I looked for him, but apparently I was looking in the wrong age."

"You could not have known, and I was forbidden to tell you," Thorin said as he tugged on the braid to check the clasp, and to complete the bond. He liked the way his braid stood out from the others. He looked at the braids threaded with black bone beads, so many of them. Other than those there were mentor braids like his, since each of the Valar wove in her hair, and there were others. Friendship braids, some with Dwarven clasps others with Elven, nine in total, and one courting braid, "Who are your friends?"

"There are braids from Durin and his One Eridith, Elorin and Elihara, Galadriel, Gandalf, Elrond, Rohinna and Kaia." Rylee said softly. She was going to ask Jovina to braid in her hair but she disappeared before she could get the chance.

"And the other braid?" He asked gently, was there someone special that he needed to be aware of?

"Just one of many suitors," Rylee said, she kept her voice as calm as she could, her face as still as possible. She just barely kept her hands from shaking as she reached up and fixed her hair back into its clasp keeping it out of her face. "Thank you, Thorin."

"Lukhdel." Thorin turned her and tilted her chin up so she would look at him. Her eyes widened in surprise at the affection and she smiled softly at the nickname. He bumped her forehead against his own and whispered, "Go meet the others."

She scowled at the order before she moved into the sitting room where most of the Company had congregated. The Hobbit Hole was beautiful, everything was made of wood and varnished to the point of gleaming. There were rich carpets and tapestries, velum drawings and paintings, maps and books. Overstuffed chairs and comfortable furniture graced each room. The home of Mr. Baggins was very cozy and very well kept. The sitting room she was in had a nice roaring fire on the hearth and she stood in the center of the room and looked at the flames. Rylee just looked at the blaze of the fire in the hearth before her, wishing that she was in a different type of building, and that it was a different kind of fire.

She missed Mahal's forge. She missed Aman, yet she was happy to be here, to finally meet her Ugshar. Even if they were not on the friendliest of terms, and she was here just for another quest, at least she was finally able to meet him. Her tasks in this life were more confusing than all of the others. Why in Valar was she here? Why did they wait for over six thousand years before sending her back? Were there no dragons in all that time? Whose fate was she meant to change? Find herself? Was she truly that lost, that different than she once was? She didn't understand the last bit at all; she always lived fully, did she not? This concerned her, what was she missing out of her life? Her last life, if her supposition was correct.

Dwalin followed her in and stood at the mantle, watching her. Thorin had indeed told him and Balin about his charge from the Valar. If he did not know Thorin as well as he did he would have thought the man was off his rocker and that he was giving in to the madness like his father and Grandfather before him. But he knew that Thorin was telling the truth, he knew of the disagreement Thorin and Rylee had before she disappeared from Thorin's dreams. He was well aware that Thorin regretted every word he told her, he could also see that she was just as affected by them. After spending much time with Thorin he knew to watch the eyes of a Royal. Their emotions were always in the eyes and it was no different for this girl. A variety of emotions flitted through the electric storm in her eyes, happiness, sadness, loss, confusion. She looked as though she was mesmerized by the flames. The stoic mask was in place as she watched them flicker and dance. There was something about her that made him ask, "Would you like to stand closer to the fire lass?"

Her eyes swept up meeting Dwalin's, the tall bald Dwarf with the tattoos. Her face remained cold, hiding away everything. "Nay, thank you, I- um, that would not be a good idea."

He wondered if she was afraid of fire, and suspicion swelled in him. She said she forged her weapons, which meant she worked with fire, why would a smith fear fire? There was something off about the girl; he just needed to figure out what. There was a lot that Thorin was not able to tell him and Balin, mostly they heard of his frustration with raising the girl who by all accounts was a bit of a hellion. He turned back to the fire to ponder what he knew of her.

"So you know my brother, Kili, apparently quite well," said the blonde dwarf, he arrived at her right side as though out of nowhere startling her. Kili stood just beside him. Fili was handsome like his brother, just in a different way. She looked at him, they stood eye to eye and he smirked at her, his eyebrows bouncing suggestively. She met his gaze unaffected by his obvious charm, he reminded her of that cheeky Durin, but just like Durin she held no interest in him or his advances. He elbowed Kili as he continued, "If he finds you too heavy, you can sit in my lap any day."

"I am honored by your offer Fili, but I would have to decline." Rylee said with a small smirk of her own, "A lady only needs one lap to sit in, and Mahal decided it was Kili's when he dropped me there."

Fili's curiosity in the little dwarrowdam grew. Being a dwarf with a full beard and a direct connection to the throne, maids usually preferred him to his brother. The pair always put the interest of ladies to the test, since many would use Kili to get closer to Fili. This lass didn't seem to care at all about his status or his beard. Kili smirked back at his brother. Fili looked mockingly mortified, clutched his heart and said, "I thought every queen wanted a charming prince with a lush beard. I was certain you would be all mine."

"I am sorry to inform you Fili, a charming smile, a full beard or marks of status are of no interest to me," Rylee told him in a straightforward manner. "I already have more status than any maid requires, have no need of a beard, and from one who has met your ancestor Durin, I find such 'charm' over rated."

"Finally, a dwarrowdam with some taste!" Kili said as he rolled his eyes at his brother, Rylee couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she met his gaze.

"So how come Uncle Thorin never told us about you?" Fili asked, sobering. "We had no idea he had a student, or a god-daughter."

"Would you tell others that you had a god-child in another realm, who you can only visit in your dreams?" Rylee told him with an edge of cynicism in her voice, she knew this from her own experiences of trying to explain her origins. "Try explaining that your father is Mahal. See how many people believe you, or just look at you like you have two heads. My beginning is the most unbelievable and unorthodox of all."

"So if you are his god-daughter, does this make us cousins then?" Fili asked his eyes flicked to his brother. Kili was oddly silent as he watched the little dwarrowdam. Were they related or not? She was interested in his brother, Kili was interested in her. By all laws if they were directly related they could not be together.

"Nay, I was created, not born, which means I have no blood relations." Rylee shook her head meeting Fili's eyes. Underneath his display of 'charm' he was intelligent and forthright. She respected that and answered him honestly, "When I was created, Mahal chose Thorin to be my mentor and guardian. It is like the Men of the world when they choose a guardian for their child in case something should befall the parents. I am a "god-daughter" of sorts, only Thorin actually helped raise me."

"What is your story, Daughter of Mahal, should we call you Rúnyatári or Queen Emitheral?" Another voice across the room asked her, she turned to see Ori, the scribe from earlier who interrupted her conversation with Gandalf. He was holding a book and a quill in his hands. She was about to tell the young writer not to call her by her titles, when her thoughts were interrupted.

"That is Ori, always after a good tale for his book." Kili whispered in her ear, she jumped and turned towards him. He was less than an inch away, his lips just over her cheek. An inch and she would have accidentally kissed him. Now why did she think that? She moved to step away when she found Fili right behind her, corralling her closer to Kili. She lost her footing and Kili caught her in his arms. "Careful, lass, this might become a habit."

"I am thinking you are trying to unnerve me, Kili," She whispered, her arms once again gripping his shoulders, his warm hands around her waist. She shot him a sly look, "Or are you just trying to get me back in your lap?"

"The thought occurred to me," he winked at her conspiratorially. She was tall for a dwarf maid and yet he was still taller, she had to look up at him to look him in the eye. His hands were brushing her ribs, her hair was brushing his hands. Mahal she was divine, round hips, small waist and soft lush breasts pressed against his chest. He was tempted to pull her back against him, as he instead helped her find her feet. "So what is your story, you may as well share, we all want to know."

"I wouldn't know where to start," Rylee said as she met his eyes, he enthralled her to the point she forgot about the other dwarves sitting or standing in the den. "It is the most unbelievable tale and you will not believe me, people rarely do."

"The beginning is always a good place to start, my dear lass." One of the older dwarves told her gently. Startled, Rylee turned to face who she was pretty sure was Dori, now that she knew Ori's name she was able to keep the three brothers straight in her mind. He had a short white beard that was intricately braided. The remainder of the Company looked at her expectantly.

"Considering your odd arrival and connection to Thorin, the odds are that we will believe you." Dwalin said from his place by the hearth. She turned to look at the tall warrior, he smirked as he saw her eyebrow rise, and she understood his challenge. She was already telling unbelievable tales, so what was one more?

"No, I really don't think this is a good idea," Rylee shook her head, her story usually set people running away from her calling her everything from a witch to a liar, to an imposter and everything in between. If that didn't happen, then it would turn into an interrogation. It was best she didn't say anything.

"Come on lass, we're all up for a good tale, and from the sounds of it, yours is better than most." Fili prodded her, her eyes flicked to him and her eyebrow arched, flattery and charm, a Durin trick if she ever knew one.

"Please Rylee?" Kili asked softly, his voice pulling her in and his dark eyes danced brightly. He was so wonderfully handsome. Her heart soared as he coaxed her into telling her tale, and for some odd reason she was having a hard time coming up with reasons not to.

"Fine, get comfy, it is a bit of a story." Rylee said quietly allowing herself to be pulled in by the handsome dwarf. Fili and Kili pushed her into a large chair and chuckled at her surprised shriek. Then they sat on the floor in front of her. She could not help but roll her eyes at them. "You two are cheeky devils, the pair of you."

She closed her eyes for a moment, going over the events of her life. Rylee took a deep breath, a moment to draw the courage to once again tell a most unbelievable story. Finally she thought of where her real beginning was and she spoke, _"Nienna the Lady of Mercy did not like the atrocities that were happening in Arda, she and Varda saw in the stars that there were some great sorrows ahead. Some so great that even she, the compassionate one could not abide. So at a council of the Valar she asked Manwë if Aulë could create one more of his people, a daughter, one who could do the bidding of the Valar. Ilúvatar gave his blessing and I was born in the Forge of Aulë."_

"So you are not of the original Thirteen?" Ori asked her his eyes alight with curiosity. "Were you made for Durin? He who lies alone?"

"No, I am not of the same line. Though I am, um, was, friends with Durin, I am not his," She looked around at her captive audience. _"I am the creation of Aulë and Ilúvatar breathed life into my body. I believe you call them Mahal the Maker and Eru the One. I was raised by Mahal in Aman and trained and taught by the Valar and a Dwarven King. I was created to help aid in the fight against the great fire drakes of the north. _

_The first was the dragon Glaurung. My quest was to "Call forth the Beast." They called Glaurung the Father of Dragons, he was a wingless fire drake, but he was fierce and he did great damage, destroying many lands and killing many people. It was my quest to lead the Hero Turin to the dragon so he could be slain. Along the way we were besought by many troubles. The beast was a glamourer, he would weave hypnotic spells over those who were too weak to see the truth. He caught Turin and his friends in one of these spells and evaded him for months. I am not susceptible to Dragon Spell, I can see through most magic and after dreaming a portent I knew what we needed to do to destroy the beast. I led Turin to Glaurung and had him wait out the beast as I swept forward and lured him forward. When the beast came out Turin struck true and the dragon fell, when he did the bridge that I was on crumbled and I was swept away, crushed by rock and dirt and stone. After living in Middle-Earth for a year I was gone._

_I woke up in a burning village south of Gondolin. Olorin met me there shortly after and told me that eight years had passed since my last life. We journeyed back to Gondolin together before Olorin returned again to the Undying Lands. My quest for my second life was "Lead him Asunder". This beast was __the great Urulókë__, the dragon of Gondolin. After dreaming of the death of the world every night I finally had a dream that foretold the death of the Dragon. During the battle__ Tuor was able to hack off one of the monsters forefeet it rampaged in pain through the city, killing everything in its path, Men, Dwarves, Elves, Orcs , Wargs, they all fell under him. I climbed onto the monster's back, and using my axes and whip to control him, I forced him into the air and we flew over Angband I rode him right up and into a storm raged ocean. Putting out his fires and sinking him into the cold blue depths, I drowned along with the dragon. Once again I was in Middle-Earth for a single year._

_It was seventy-two years before I returned again. The last was the dragon Ancalagon the Black. When they brought me to Middle-Earth the third time they brought me to a field beside a vast and growing army. My quest was, "Offer yourself for your people." As before Olorin was there to witness my arrival and to ensure that I was safely received by my hostess, but she had disappeared, so he decided to stay. The moment I arrived in the pavilion I was asked to take the Crown of Rúnyatári, a crown to lead all of Eru's people. They held the hope that I, as the Daughter of Aulë and Ilúvatar, could unite the warriors and lead them to victory. It was High King Gil-galad who convinced me to accept the crown. Telling me that it was a way of offering myself for my people. I conceded, thinking that it was just a crown, just a mantle to wear so that I could save Arda and complete my quest. I thus became Rúnyatári the Queen of Red Flame. _

_As Queen I had control over the entire army and we set out to kill Ancalagon. The dragon was huge, impossibly massive, and nearly indestructible. The lava from the volcanoes flowed relentlessly, destroying homes, killing our people, the steam and smoke never stopped creating the perfect cover for the his next attack. In the end many people died on the battlefield and the fallout became immediately apparent. He called many dragons to his side and together they wreaked havoc in Beleriand._

_ The plan to unite the people didn't work, even though I fought alongside both Elves and Dwarves and Men, we did not gain any headway. Everyone bickered between themselves and the lines were beginning to falter and lose all hope. After the battle of Grace Gardens, I felt more and more that this was wrong. I killed two great cold drakes and lost a very dear friend in that battle and I knew in my heart that this was not my quest! Sure I was told to "Offer myself for my people" but I doubted that this was what Eru meant when he told me my quest. I was created to be a warrior, to make sacrifices, not have others sacrifice in my name!"_

_ "For weeks I have been having dreams of fire, but they are ever changing so I could get no real understanding of what they meant. Then last night after weeks of bickering in fruitless war meetings I overheard several of the Eldars talking. About a portend, one that they were hiding from me. It went; "When the Light of Lights falls to flame, the dragon's fate will be the same." When I went to sleep last night the dreams became clear and I knew what needed to be done."_

"How did you know it was about you," Gloin interrupted her story, giving her a suspicious glare. "Can we see the crown? Take it off and let us have a look."

Dori didn't leave her time to answer, his question came next, "As the daughter of Mahal, why do you just have strands of braids, shouldn't you have a family braid?"

"Kili, would you try taking off the diadem, please?" Rylee said softly, looking down at the dark eyed dwarf. Of everyone in the room, he was the only one she knew would not hurt her on purpose.

Kili looked up into her electric grey eyes his brow rose in question. She leaned forward just enough that he could reach for her tiara. He lifted his hands and carefully tried to remove the metal from her forehead. It did not move, it was like it was not only fused to her flesh, but also to her bone, it didn't move even a fraction of an inch. There was muttering from the others around the room and even Fili moved closer to see if Kili was even putting pressure on the metal. They both looked at Rylee and saw a flinch of pain as Kili tried to remove the metal. Kili immediately felt awful for hurting her, "it does not move."

"It is fused, it will not move."Fili shook his head and looked back at Gloin.

"I do not know why, but the diadem will not come off," Rylee said softly, "I have had some of the most powerful magic users try to remove it, but it is attached to my bones. As for your other questions Lukhdel is my father's nickname for me, meaning light of all lights. It is written on my hair clip. Mahal has given me free will, I braid my hair as I like, when I like. I don't like when others touch my hair, not only is it offensive to do so without permission, it tends to hurt when others touch my hair."

Kili met her eyes and she blushed deeply, she did not protest when his hands tangled in her hair earlier. Bright sparks flared in her irises as she looked at him, and he felt drawn to her, wanting nothing more than to tangle his fingers into those long silky waves. He could spend hours brushing and braiding her hair and he would be content. Mahal where were these thoughts coming from? He never touched hair and no one was allowed to touch his. He tore his eyes from hers and the moment was broken.

Rylee looked back at Dori and continued, "I have no other family, and therefore I have no family braid."

"But the Valar-." Nori protested.

"Other than Mahal, I have no family," Rylee said cutting him off, "The rest of the Valar are my mentors and teachers, they did not want any attachment since I am a War Maiden of The Valar, and even Thorin was told by Eru not to become attached."

Kili watched the smallest flicker of pain taint her face as she spoke of attachments and the fact that even Thorin was told not to create a bond with her. What must it be like to be that alone? He always had family around him. Almost every Dwarf in attendance this evening was family of some sort, uncles and distant cousins. His closest bonds were with his Brother, Mother and Uncle Thorin. To have only a singular parent, who could not even be present in this realm, it must be a lonely existence.

Ori really didn't care about braids. He wanted to know the rest of her tale and how she arrived here in Kili's lap. He changed the subject back to the story, "So how did you help kill the last dragon?"

_ "_Where was I? Oh, right. _This morning, before dawn I snuck aboard the sky ship Vingilot and stayed there until we were high up in the sky. We were under attack by the dragon, and were circling back around for another shot." _

She could see and feel the heat of the dragon as it spewed flame over their armies and their warriors. She could hear the screams far below the air ship, from her hiding spot on the Vingilot she could see Eärendil taking the time to aim at the great beast and with each fail, his frustration and sorrow, knowing that they were running out of time. Morgoth was going to win, and plunge the world into never ending darkness. She pushed the memories away and went on with her shortened version of events.

_"Eärendil was running out of arrows and I saw the Eagles of Manwë come in to help with the attack. I jumped onto the back of Landroval, one of the Eagles, and asked him to take me up above the dragon. He was a little surprised at me suddenly showing up, but when I told him what I intended to do, he figured that it was worth a try. We flew high above the dragon, staying out of his line of sight until the last moment. I jumped onto Ancalagon's shoulders and ran up his neck."_

All she could think was that she just needed to keep the most minimal details, they did not need to know that the ash from the volcano fell like snow around her, and that the dragon smelled of sulphur and she could feel the heat of his flame through his black flesh. That the monster was so big that it took several minutes to run from his shoulders to the top of his head, or that his hide was so thick that he didn't even feel her standing on top of him. They didn't need to know that her fear and adrenaline were working at her mind, driving her into the depths of madness, and that the only thing that kept her going was the knowledge that the end was near. Knowing that if she succeeded, she would die, and she would have a moment of peace. They did not need to know.

_"I drove my battle axes into his neck on either side of his massive head and wrapped my whip around the hilts using it to steer the beast. He was veering right toward the Vingilot when I pulled up as hard as I could, forcing him to rear back in mid air. His wings began to flail and his soft underarms were exposed. Eärendil used that moment to take his shot, driving a black arrow deep into the heart of the dragon. The dragon fell right onto the Thangorodrim, collapsing the peaks and driving me into the lava."_

They didn't understand that this was what she did right before she arrived. She could still feel the ash on her body and hear the screams in her ears. Just hours ago she committed suicide by dragon.

"'Offer yourself for your people' meant 'Sacrifice', and so I died." She finished simply, meeting the wide eyes that stared back at her. She could see the disbelief in their eyes as they looked at her. There was not a single sound as everyone stared. As she thought, they did not believe a word she said, they all figured that she was some odd conjurer who told great stories. They were like everyone else before them.


	3. Dragon Songs and Quests

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either.**

Chapter 3

Dragon Songs and Quests

"Until you fell into Kili's lap." Fili grinned at her in a teasing tone, the tension in the room broke as several of the others chuckled.

"Um, Aye, that was a surprise," She looked at Kili and felt her cheeks burn as he winked back. She wasn't sure which was more unsettling, the fact that she did indeed drop into Kili's lap, or her oddly accepting reaction to being there. Accepting! For crying out loud, she wanted to return to his arms and let him hold her! Rylee wanted him to run his fingers through her hair! There was an unfathomable desire to touch his face, his beard, his hair. She, who was often considered frigid and cold and perpetually virtuous by every male she ever encountered, wanted to be held by a Dwarven male she just happened to have landed on. It was preposterous! "You have no idea how surreal it is to wake up from a nightmare and go to war, then die and drop in on someone's lap in a Hobbit Hole seconds later, only to find that ages have passed."

"How does that work?" Dori asked, his curiosity was aroused, "The whole dying and being reborn."

"Um, It's hard to describe," Rylee looked at him for a long moment, a feeling of discomfort rose within her as she pondered her most recent demise, "Forgive me for not going into detail, but death is rather personal, especially one so recent. My last death was in a volcano. I was dead and then I was not. I went from excruciating pain, to not feeling anything to feeling everything and then harps and bells and crashing and POP! Within seconds of my death, there I was."

"On Kili's lap," Fili said again, his tone was teasing and his eyebrows kept rising suggestively.

"Um, yes, I believe we have established that I landed on Kili's lap." Rylee quirked her brow and looked at him. Why did he keep saying it like that? Her eyes flicked to Kili and she blushed as he elbowed Fili in the ribs, a playful smile on his lips. Such handsome lips, sultry sweet, which made his words sound like honey and delicious shivers run down her spine. What would it be like to kiss him? 'ârra, where did that thought come from!

"If it was not for the fact that you dropped in out of nowhere I would call you a liar and call it a day." Oin said shooting her a wary glare, the entire time she was telling her story he was leaning forward with his ear trumped firmly placed, concentrating on every word she said. "But you did just pop out of nothing, in full Armor, so it is hard to argue with that."

Ori asked her curiously, "Did you know that you look just like the Mithril Queen?"

Rylee looked at the scribe for a moment and was about to ask who the Mithril Queen was when Nori spoke looking over at her collection of Armor in the corner, glinting brightly in the firelight. "Considering how much of it she was wearing, it's not hard to see why."

"So you think you are the Mithril Queen. Surely, that is a myth," Gloin confronted her, his eyes once again narrowed in suspicion. Through the long evening he wanted to talk to this friend of the Wizard, he wanted to see her true worth.

"I don't know who you are talking about, that was never one of my titles." Rylee countered meeting his gaze, the steely mask was in place. The one that told them that she was a regal queen, hard as mountain stone, brave as the greatest kings. Kili could imagine her sitting a throne, her back straight as steel, it was as though the comfortable chair they pushed her into earlier transformed into a massive throne. "But I was taught that legends and myths are derived from ancient truths. Considering Gandalf said that six thousand years have passed since I was last here, I do suppose it is possible."

"The Mithril Queen was the Daughter of Mahal." Gloin scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. Everyone knew the tale of unrequited love and sacrifice, the tale of the Mithril Queen. "She was not just some small dwarrowdam."

"I am the Daughter of Aulë or Mahal, if you please, and am both a War Maiden and a dwarrowdam!" Rylee argued, her voice made the hairs on Kili's arms stand on end. He watched in awe as the rest of the company had the exact same reaction, every one of them were shivering at the sound of her voice. It was a voice full of power, like Gandalf's earlier that evening. Her face was hard as stone but Kili watched as white fire sparked her dark grey eyes, it was ethereal. It was not possible for a mortal to have such eyes. Kili wondered what she was thinking. "I know who I am. I will not be belittled by the likes of you!"

"I can assure you Master Gloin, her tale is truth," Gandalf said through the door. "The tale of the Mithril Queen, though based on her short time in Middle-Earth, is a slight exaggeration."

Thorin sure hoped so; Rylee was raised to be a warrior and a lady, not some sad maiden in a tale of unrequited love. Besides if she was the maiden from the story, there was no way she could fall for Kili like she was so obviously doing. A Dwarf could only love once, and Rylee was showing all of the signs of a maid falling for her One. Thorin didn't think he ever saw someone fall so fast, even his sister Dis fought her feelings for Sevrin for months before letting herself fall. Rylee however seemed almost helpless to it.

Gloin looked between Gandalf and Thorin for several very long minutes, before turning back to her, "So if you were created by both Mahal and Eru, like you said, does that make you Dwarven or Elven?"

"It would make me both and neither." Rylee responded cryptically, narrowing her eyes. She was studying Gloin quite intensely, trying to gauge what he was fishing for, or was he just testing her mettle? "Both of those lines started with my makers, but my line is a pure line, so I am both and neither."

"You speak in riddles lass." Thorin chided her as he watched her effectively shut Gloin down. Just as he taught her to do, she was always an apt student. Kili was surprised to see a light twinkling in his uncle's usually cold eyes. It was the same look he often shared for he or Fili when they did something that pleased him. He looked almost proud of the girl.

"It is politics, is it not, to be a King, or in my case a Queen? You learn to speak in riddles to keep your advisors out of your hair and off your game. You taught me that, Thorin," Rylee countered with a hard look. She looked at Thorin saw the glint in his eye and smirked. She looked back at a slightly insulted Gloin and offered conspiratorially, "Politics aside, I will offer a truth, by Nienna's request, Mahal fashioned me after my brothers the Dwarves, and Eru gave me life, so I will tell you that I am more Dwarf than Elf."

"Indeed, lass, indeed." Gloin eyed her carefully then he grinned. He liked the cheek of this lass, she was audacious, and smart. She carried herself well, and despite the fact that she had no facial hair she was clearly a dwarrowdam. She looked much too young to have done what she claimed to have accomplished, but if she truly was who she said she was, she would be a formidable foe.

"How good are you with that bow of yours, it looks a little battered," Dwalin asked her from his place at the hearth. He was appeased by her story, if it were true; death by volcano would make a person afraid of fire.

"That is because it has survived a rockslide, an ocean and the inside of a volcano." She said softly, her lips were quirked as though she was trying to make a joke. "The bow is special. Until it finds the archer who can teach me to use it, I will never master the bow. Since my aim is a little, um, off?"

"How exactly do you kill a dragon?" Bofur asked her, his eyes glimmering with curiosity. "Considering their flesh is impenetrable."

"With a little magic, Blood Mithril and a lot more luck." Rylee said quietly, the dwarf with the odd hat looked at her with a slightly confounded expression. "Training helps too."

"So two dragons you say?" Kili asked, his eyebrow was quirked, asking her to deny it, "Other than the three great Fire Drakes?"

"I just helped with those three, aided in their demise so to speak, but if you speak of the cold drakes of Grace Gardens then yes I killed them. That was two months ago, they attacked me and Eridith, while we were walking in the gardens. They were young yet, quite ferocious, deadly creatures, each would have fit in this den. Eridith ran to safety while I kept the little drakes busy. Unfortunately many great warriors died in that battle, too many in my opinion," Rylee met his eyes and answered softly. It was one thing to tell her story like it happened ages ago, it was another knowing that it was still fresh in her mind. She was not interested talking about the battles she was in, or reliving the horrors, or in boasting about her feats. She was not ready to talk about it. Good friends died, or went missing in that battle. She mourned them still.

Kili could see that the topic was beginning to make her uncomfortable, but was it because she was telling tales or because the memory of battle wore on her? From the look of her face, there was pain there. Fresh pain.

"Hollyhocks! Rylee they were bigger than that, give yourself some credit," Gandalf reprimanded her from the other room. His voice was dark, "Neither of them would have fit in this Hobbit Hole, much less that room! You have the most notorious habit of belittling yourself and your deeds."

Kili was engrossed by the flashes of raw emotion that she was struggling to hide. The glare she shot in the direction of the other room was fierce and angry and cold. The raw grief Kili saw in that fraction of a moment was heartbreaking. There was a moment when Kili was sure that she would break down, but she did not. In fact a cold hard Armor slammed over her countenance and her eyes flashed like flint and stone. He immediately wanted to offer his comfort and protection from the hurt and grief he saw there.

"Your time in Middle-Earth has addled your brain Olorin. I think I can recall how big they were, it happened two months ago, and many men died before I could land the final blows. Perhaps if they had let me do my job they would not have died and Kaia would not have disappeared. You know this, you saw the aftermath," She growled at him, angry and fierce. At the mention of the battle her mind automatically envisioned and relived the screams of those men, and their deaths at the jaws of those vile creatures. The screams of so many that were sent to death screaming their battle cries in honor of her. At that moment she could hear them, see them, smell them, and feel the battle around her. Her best friend disappearing from the clutches of a cold drake still haunted her. It made her sick to the stomach. The pain in her heart was almost unbearable. She needed a moment to steel herself against the memories of the battles, she needed to escape.

"Those beads tell me that you have slain more than a few drakes both cold drakes and fire breathers. They are drawn to you," Gandalf grumbled loudly. There was a stunned silence in the room as everyone looked at the gems in Rylee's hair, a multitude of at least thirty. "You were constantly breaking out of your quarters to hunt the beasts. You wanted a dragon slayer, Kili, and the Valar have granted you one. Every black gem in her hair indicates a dragon kill."

Now he did it. Thorin gave her a severe look, and Rylee paled at the sight. He was going to kill her. She was not supposed to hunt alone, but it was in her blood now, and she despised the beasts so fiercely. She could feel him counting the black boned beads that decorated her hair, one for every kill, Fourty in total. The others were looking at her hair as well, picking out the various types of beads.

"This is like facing a bloody inquisition. Excuse me," She whispered as she stood from her seat and swept out of the room head held high, not sure where she was going or what she needed to do, she just needed to be away. She picked up her bow and cradled it gently in her hands. It was habit to carry it, she felt almost naked without it close by. She could not fathom why, but the touch of the wood, the cord set to the perfect tension, it soothed her. Even though she still could not hit a target with it, and she feared she never would, touching it still helped ease her sorrows.

Just holding it in her hands calmed her. She took a deep breath to steady herself. She could not cry here, she could not show weakness, she could not show any emotion. 'Just breathe Rylee, breathe.' She could almost hear Kaia's voice as she repeated the mantra to herself. 'You can cry later, when you are alone, when there are not so many prying eyes and people around to make judgment.' She would cry later, she would allow herself to cry later. Rylee took a deep breath and pulled in every bit of her emotion, tightening it into a ball in her chest, holding it there until it began to dissipate into a more controllable state. Squaring her shoulders she walked into the room where Bilbo and Gandalf were seated.

"You would do well to remember that I have not yet grieved for those who have fallen, Olorin," Rylee chided him from the doorway, she looked at up at him as he looked down at a quiet and reflective Hobbit. She shook off the feeling of discordance as she once again took in his face and his clothes. He was so different than she remembered him to be. Why did he change his form? "I have not had time to reflect on what took place. The wounds are still raw."

Gandalf looked up and met her eyes. The steel mask was in place, hard and cold. The Stone Faced Queen was in full force, and her eyes, those electric eyes were dull, washed out. Barely a spark remained, indicating deep and unending sadness. "I apologize, my friend. I forget that for you only seconds pass between lifetimes. It was not my intention to cause you pain."

Gandalf remembered her telling him how she felt so completely helpless near the end of her last life. In the end she became a husk of the curious, fearless, lively, loving Dwarrowdam that he met when she first arrived in Middle-Earth. She was ready to die, all of the fire burned out of her soul from the acts of war that were committed in her name. Now she was back, dropped into the middle of an adventure, with no time to mourn or recover from her losses.

"You are forgiven, Olorin, but only because you are my friend. Though you have changed a great deal since I saw you last, it is rather disconcerting." Rylee said softly the corner of her lip lifted in a half hearted smile. "Who else is going to believe me when I drop in out of nowhere?"

"I think after your latest entrance we can raise that number to fifteen. Please call me Gandalf, otherwise we will all be confused including me. What is your quest this time, Rylee?" Gandalf asked towering over her. "Other than find the archer who can teach you?"

"Change the Hands of Fate. I don't know what I am supposed to change or when I am supposed to change it, Olor- sorry, Gandalf, but that is my quest. There is more, but I don't understand what it means at all." She said to him as she paced the small room. Reflecting on her quest Rylee wondered what Eru meant by live fully. She found her family, but now what? Was there something missing from her life? Was there something she was supposed to accomplish that she didn't do before? And this will be the last, the last what? The last Dragon? The last quest? The last life? She turned to Gandalf, "When did Nienna tell you I was coming?"

"In all honesty, I didn't realize what the message was until you arrived. It was a song she sang long ago, a very sad song, I thought it was just a dream or a memory. That was three months ago," Gandalf said quietly. It was a song of unsung wishes.

"Will you be needing a room for the night miss Rylee?" Bilbo asked her all of a sudden, remembering his manners, it was quite late and if his guests were staying the night, the lady should have first pick of guest rooms.

"Thank you Mr. Baggins, but that is not necessary, I will find suitable accommodations on my own. I do appreciate your offer though," Rylee smiled at the small Hobbit.

"Please call me Bilbo, I too do not want to stand on formality," Bilbo said softly looking up into her eyes. He once heard that age could be seen within the eyes of a soul, that a person who has seen and done great things would have eyes that defied their age, or their presence. He now knew it to be true, ancient wisdom lived in her eyes. After listening to her story and remembering the advice she gave him, he marveled at the feats she accomplished. Could he do that?

"I thank you Bilbo for all of your hospitality," Rylee told him, she bowed slightly forward and met his eyes, "unfortunately all I can offer in return is my friendship."

He looked up at her in surprise, all he did was offer her a spare bedroom, and it was not like he did anything special. "It is my pleasure to have you as a guest in my home, Rylee, and I would like to offer my friendship in return. Upon that note, I am going to my bed, it is late and it has been a trying day. I am sorry Gandalf but I do not think I can do this."

Bilbo headed to his bed chamber, the events of the day becoming too much for him. The offer of adventure was one thing, and the tales of Dragons was luring. On the plus side he was to be the burglar, he didn't know what he had to steal, but at least he didn't have to be the Dragon Slayer. To be part of something so bold, it would be worth a tale or two. Meeting a queen from the First Age and hearing her heartbreaking tales, he was intrigued by her. Her sudden appearance in his home made her seem magical, it was like a fairy story come to life. If he didn't go he would never learn of her fate and find out about the Dragon of Erebor, he would not know the ending to the tale of the King under the Mountain. If he stayed home, he would live peacefully in the comfort of his home, with his books, and his garden, and his pipe and the warm coziness of Bag End. He did not have the courage to go on such an adventure. Even one filled with Dragons, Queens and Kings.

Rylee met Gandalf's eyes and whispered with a small smile, "I am certain you shall see him in the morning. He reminds me of Fleet Took."

"I do agree, Rylee," Gandalf said as he watched the Hobbit walk down the hall, "On both accounts."

The rest of the Dwarves were gathered into the den and a song started. Rylee was quite familiar with the deep bass and baritone of this Dwarf song. The only song Thorin was allowed to teach her. It pulled her like a siren pulled a fisherman. Leaving the study and Gandalf behind she picked up her bow and returned to the den with the others. She stood at the doorway looking in at the Company, watching and learning everything she could. Thorin started to sing, and Rylee joined her alto voice to his baritone, harmonizing with him.

_Far over the misty mountains cold_

_To dungeons deep and caverns old_

_We must away ere break of day_

_To seek the pale enchanted old._

_The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,_

_While hammers fell like ringing bells_

_In places deep, where dark things sleep,_

_In hallow halls beneath the fells._

Her heart clenched as she looked upon the longing in the faces of the Dwarves singing their song of home. She met the eyes of Kili, and it took all of her concentration not to falter as she sang with the others. He was handsome, verily so, he was tall for a dwarf, not quite as tall as Thorin, but close. He had dark brown hair, nearly black and those enchanting dark eyes. While she was in his lap she could make out a trim muscular frame under the dark blue of his tunic. Standing amongst the others she was better able to look upon him. His tunic was trimmed in thick embroidery with a knotted design, belted at his narrow waist. His breeches and boots were made of soft sturdy dark brown leather. He looked calm and relaxed at the moment, if a little somber. She knew he was full of life and energy. He carried himself well and there was a bright mischievous spark in his gaze as he met hers. Rylee could not help the smile that lifted her lips as she looked at him. Something about him lifted her dampened spirits. She lowered her eyes before she looked at the other members of the company.

_For ancient king and elvish lord_

_There many a gleaming golden horde_

_They shaped and wrought, and light they caught_

_To hide the gems on hilt of sword._

_On silver necklaces they strung_

_The flowering stars, on crowns they hung_

_The dragon-fire, in twisted wire_

_They meshed the light of moon and sun._

Fili stood on the opposite side of the same door that she herself stood in. His blonde hair was braided similarly to hers, only he had two braids instead of four and he had braids in his blond mustache. She could tell that he took particular care in his grooming and that he had been trained and raised much the same way she had. Bright twinkling blue eyes caught her gaze and he had that cheeky Durin smile going on. She could see the arrogance of someone raised to be royalty and yet he was also kind hearted and thoughtful. Ori the scribe was older than both Fili and Kili and yet his demeanor made him seem much younger. His shy curiosity made him almost childlike in so many ways. He was sitting near his older brother, Dori, the one with several braids in his well groomed grey hair. She watched them interact and admired the older brother for his protectiveness. Upon occasion he even chided Nori for some odd infraction and as much as he pestered his younger brothers, they both seemed to look up to him. Nori she knew, he was the one ogling her gear. His hair was styled and braided into three points, making him look all proper but she had a feeling that he was a little more secretive than he let on. His duplicity amused her.

_Far over the misty mountains cold,_

_To dungeons deep and caverns old_

_We must away, ere break of day,_

_To claim our long forgotten gold._

_Goblets they carved there for themselves_

_And harps of gold; where no man delves_

_There lay they long, and many a song_

_Was sung unheard by men or elves._

Gloin was the one with the hard questions, he seemed to be naturally suspicious and not exactly the trusting type. He had deep red hair, with fierce eyes and several clips throughout his hair and beard. He looked like a hardened warrior. Oin had fierce eyes like his brother, but his hair was graying and he seemed scholarly in many ways. He had two braids in his beard that were curled out exquisitely and one at the top of his head. Oh how she loved dwarves and their braids. Bombur was the heavyset red head who made her food, she would remember to be nice to him always. Bofur had an odd hat that stuck out in the opposite direction from his braids, he had a merry twinkle in his eyes, and a lovely voice as he sang along with Thorin and the others.

_The pines were roaring on the height_

_The winds were moaning in the night._

_The fire was red, it flaming spread;_

_The trees like torches blazed with light._

_The bells were ringing in the dale_

_And men looked up with faces pale;_

_Then dragon's ire more fierce than fire_

_Laid low their towers and houses frail_

Bifur had an axe in his head, how the hollyhocks did he survive such an injury? The fact that he had was a testament to his will to survive. She liked that about him. He was a warrior like those she fought alongside before she landed in the cozy dining room. Dwalin was glowering at her from where he stood, singing along with Thorin. He was tall, bald, tattooed, and he admired her knife. He was a hardened warrior through and through. He too reminded her of the warriors she fought with, proud, strong and fierce. Balin was a warm hearted dwarf, his eyes twinkled merrily and he held an air of someone who was both wise and humble. The moment she met him, she liked him.

_The mountain smoked beneath the moon;_

_The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom._

_They fled their hall to dying fall_

_Beneath his feet, beneath the moon._

_Far over the misty mountains grim_

_To dungeons deep and caverns dim_

_We must away, ere break of day,_

_To win our harps and gold from him!_

Finally there was Thorin, the king under the mountain, her teacher and mentor. He was different than she remembered, a hard man, someone who lived a very hard life and seen much loss. There was much that she did not know about him, as it was forbidden by Eru. He was only allowed to visit while in the dream world which made their time together precious. They rarely spent it discussing sad matters, mostly he was to teach her what she would need to know for when she met him. Thus she knew there were differences in the Westron, and Khuzdul languages, she just thought that it was because they were from different areas of Arda, not because they were from different times. He taught her about wielding weapons, leading a people, being royalty. There was a sadness in Thorin's true blue eyes and etched into his handsome face. She could see the family resemblance between him and his nephews. She could see the affection he held for them and she was jealous. As much as she said that the Valar held no affection for her, nor she for them, she did hold affection for Thorin. He was a second father to her.

Singing with the others about the Lonely Mountain, and their home stolen by a dragon, her passion was stirred. Her eyes were drawn back to Kili twice more while they sang and she could feel her heart race and her stomach clench. She shook it off thinking, 'it must be the excessive amount of excitement for the day.' The song came to an end and Rylee wiped a tear from her eye. If these Dwarves were going to try to win back their home and slay the Dragon Smaug, she was going with them.

* * *

><p>Her soft voice gave even greater depth and harmony to the already haunting song. It was the most beautiful he ever heard it sung. She was beautiful, the small woman that stood leaning against the doorway, Kili watched her as she sang. She was smaller than he, just an inch or two shorter. Her hair was dark, but in the light of the fire, her hair burned a deep red, like the embers of a dying fire making her look a little savage. With her hair pulled back from her face into her red clip with the black jewels, she seemed majestic in a wild untamable sort of way. Especially since the remainder of her hair spilled down her back in soft silky waves, braids and beads glinting like secret treasures. The mithril crown just added to her aura.<p>

She was stoic, like Thorin, she wore a mask that hid her emotions. From the diadem, to the battle Armor, to the fact that her hair was like fire, and her weapons and clothing looked fire borne, she looked like a fierce Dragon Slayer as she proclaimed herself to be. Yet Rylee Emitheral looked exactly like he imagined the Mithril Queen to look. Kili knew the story Ori mentioned earlier, The Mithril Queen was one of his favorite as a young dwarfling. She looked completely confused by the mention of it, and even said she never heard the story before. Gandalf said that the Mithril Queen was loosely based on Rylee's life, and he wondered if she ever found her One. He hoped not, he wanted her to be his Mithril Queen.

The leather tunic and breaches she arrived in were of a very light grey, trimmed with fur, with glass and silver beading edging everywhere the fur trimmed. Her boots were darker grey leather, also lined in fur. Her entire wardrobe fit her snug but not tight, the thin dark grey tunic was the most form fitted and it showed off her curvaceous little body, and as he recalled how well she fit against him, Kili had to force his mind away from the thoughts that followed. Just under the collar of her tunic she wore some sort of necklace, he could barely make out the shining red metal and the dark crystal that sat beside it. He was curious as to what jewels she would hide under her tunic. 'Ukshu! Did he really just think of what was under her tunic?

She looked up at him and met his eyes, a small smile curled her lips before she turned her head and lowered her gaze. It was enough for him to see their true color once again. Her eyes were a deep unsettling grey, like a dark stormy sky, with the sparks of lightning within them. He watched her intently, her face remained a solid mask, but her eyes, her emotions flashed through her eyes as she sang along with the elders. She met his eyes twice more, both times he was rewarded with a small smile and a blush before her eyes fled away. The song came to a close and she wiped away one singular tear that lingered on her long dark lashes.

She was holding her bow, holding it lovingly. It was remarkably beautiful, though it looked fire touched, slightly darkened in places. There were runes and markings around the leather grip. Like everything else she owned there were touches of the red metal in the design, the nocks and the runes were etched with the fine metal. It was written in Khuzdul, he could just make them out. The bow was called 'True'.

She was about to turn to leave when he stopped her, "True, as in perfect aim?"

Her voice was soft and low as she whispered, "Yes, perfect aim, perfect hit."

"It is beautifully crafted." Kili smiled at her. He loved the bow as a weapon and just by looking at the layered wood he knew that it was a solid weapon. Sturdy and yet flexible, the string was supple, yet taught. He itched to draw back on the bow and feel the flex of it, the strength of the bone on the inside and the feel of the sinew on the outside that would give the arrow quick flight. He didn't dare take it from her; she seemed to need to hold it and with her as vulnerable as she seemed, he was not going to risk it.

"Thank you, maybe someday you can try it." She returned, her voice sounded soft and breathless. He met her eyes and watched as the white sparks flashed from the deep grey depths. A blush swept prettily across her cheeks, before she pulled her eyes away. Kili wondered if she was just being polite or if it was truly a genuine offer.

Thorin watched the exchange intently. Since the moment she arrived, he watched her. The cold mask that she wore, the scorn she wore as Armor, her warmest emotion a haughty smirk. After the discussion about dragons and war she stalked out of the room with a steel Armor over her face. Her electric eyes were the only indicator of any emotion, and the dampened sparks he saw within them, if only for a second told him that she was in pain. She rarely smiled, and only Kili was the recipient of that honor. With him her visage slipped away, then it was like seeing a different person altogether, raw and wild and hungry at times and at others soft and sweet, and upon chance vulnerable and full of sorrow.

There were only two instances that he could remember when someone found their One; his sister Dis, when she found Sevrin and Gloin when he found his wife. It was rare and beautiful when it happened, but this was not the right time for such things, they were about to leave on a long arduous journey. Distractions could not be tolerated. He needed every member of his Company to be focused. Rylee would be a distraction for everyone, including him, without her finding her love. Perhaps he should not allow her to go with them on this journey. As if she heard his thoughts Rylee turned to Thorin and he steeled himself for a battle of wills.

Her eyes were dark and determined, the white sparks within them were bright and flashing. She too was ready for a fight as she told him, "I was sent here for a reason and I intend to follow my destiny. Tell me about your dragon."

"What makes you think I want you anywhere near that dragon?" Thorin gave Rylee a severe look which she returned with equal fire. "What makes you think we should take you, a woman, in the Company? You would be a distraction for all of us."

"I am not just a mere woman; I have killed many dragons in the past. You have a dragon at your destination. I am going." Rylee returned darkly, daring him to turn her down. "With or without you I will destroy Smaug, just try stopping me."

Fili wasn't quite sure which one he wanted to win. The maid would be a distraction, sure, but at least it would be interesting. He wanted to get to know this maiden, this student and charge of his Uncle's. Especially if Kili's reaction to the woman was anything to go by, this could be very interesting. There was a mutual attraction there. Besides, he was intrigued by the fact that his little brother could make the little dwarrowdam drop the cold façade with a single look.

"You are not going after Smaug alone." Thorin growled at her, he could not believe she even suggested it. "If I allow you to go at all, you will be accompanying us to the lonely mountain. You will not be travelling to Erebor alone."

"It will be faster if I go alone, and less dangerous for your company if I am not with you," Rylee objected angrily. All of Morgoth's creatures were attracted to her, she lured them in like a siren. If she went with them, they would have beasts of all kinds on their trail. "You have a quest to reclaim your home, where a dragon currently resides, and I am a Dragon Slayer, it would only make sense for me to kill it."

"Your destiny is to Change the Hands of Fate, Rylee," Gandalf stepped in, shutting down her arguments, "You don't even know if it is about the dragon."

Kili could not help but admire the dark glint of fire that lit her deep grey eyes as she defended her request to join them. He felt a nudge in his ribs and turned to his older brother who whispered quietly, "You are staring."

"So are you brother, I dare say you are drooling," Kili bantered quietly.

"I think we all are," Bofur chuckled softly, as they watched the young maid argue with Thorin.

"Which? Staring or drooling?" Ori asked innocently. His eyes flicking from one brother to the next and then back at the others. They all started laughing at that, Thorin and Rylee moved deeper into the house and away from the others. They were still in heated battle and from the looks on their faces they were both equally grim. It was eerie how both of them wore the exact same mask, even though they didn't look anything alike.

"You lot should get yourselves some rest, we will start early," Balin told them sagely, if he didn't get them moving they would gawk at the poor maid all night. Neither Thorin nor Rylee needed an audience to their arguments. They moved along but everyone fell silent in order to hear what was being discussed.

"Fine, so the quest may have nothing to do with the bloody dragon, but it does have to do with your Company, otherwise I would not have dropped in as I did," Rylee growled finally giving in to Gandalf's prodding. He and Fili were rolling out their bedrolls in front of the fire, and from where they were they could still see and hear most of what Rylee and Thorin were talking about. "That means I have to remain with you until I know what it is that I am supposed to change, so whether you like it or not Thorin, I am coming with you."

"If you are coming with us you will follow my orders," Thorin growled at her, and watched as she grew rigid with defiance. "You will do as I ask, you will stay with us and you will not go hunting."

"I will hunt as I see fit," Rylee met his eyes with a dark scowl, "I am a danger to you, and I will only lure dark creatures to you. If you insist on these stupid rules I will trail you instead, it is best that I keep my distance anyways."

"You are not going alone, I already told you this, Rylee," Thorin's voice grew quieter and Rylee felt the chill as it ran down her back. Thorin only yelled when he needed to get his men's attention, it was his cold quiet voice that he used in anger.

"And I already told you, you cannot stop me," Rylee replied just as angrily, just as quietly. Thorin's influence in Rylee's upbringing was obvious, and once again Kili could not believe how much they seemed to resemble each other in every action.

"You are not considered an adult in this age Rylee, you must be accompanied by your guardian," Thorin tried to reason with her and sighed in frustration as he watched her roll her eyes in annoyance. "If you are caught on the main roads without your guardian you can be sold into slavery, or thrown into prison until a guardian can be assigned."

"I have been on my own for seven years and now I need a guardian?" Rylee scoffed and shook her head. "I have been at war with dragons for seven years and now you think I need someone to hold my hand? I am a War Maiden of The Valar, I will not be treated as a child, just because your laws have changed. I will honor my quest on my own terms."

"So where does this leave us Rylee?" Thorin asked her feeling a deep dark rage building within him. She was the most frustrating child he ever met.

"At an impasse I suppose," Rylee met his eyes, her spine rigid yet her entire aura spoke of battle readiness. She was more than ready for anything that came at her.

Kili watched them stand almost toe to toe and argue for several minutes about whether Rylee would be travelling with them or not. The entire Company had fallen silent to listen to them and indeed they were at an impasse. Neither seemed to want to give any leverage to the other, and stood there staring each other down, waiting for the other to look away. If Kili was to guess, the girl did an even better job at giving an imperial stare than Fili did and this was made apparent when Thorin looked away first. Fili elbowed him in the ribs, his eyes wide with awe as Thorin growled at the girl, "You are the most hard-headed lass I have ever met Rylee Emitheral, do as you please."

"Come, you must tell me more of your mountain, Thorin." Rylee commanded him in a clipped and stern tone. Fili noticed that she used Thorin's name and she was commanding him for information. She did not use any endearments that would signify their relationship. As though she separated her relationship with him from her business with him, it was a tactic that Thorin often used on him and Kili. After a moment of surprise Thorin took it in stride, his eyes sparkled peculiarly in the firelight. Fili looked at his uncle in surprise taking in his uncle's reaction, neither he or Kili would ever get away with such a thing. He was impressed by this dwarrowdam, whatever his uncle had taught her, she obviously learned it well.

"Child of Mahal, you torment me, but I relent, there is much to be discussed." Thorin threw her a look of exasperation, before leading the way back to the dining room table. He unfolded the map and laid it back out on the table. He showed her the mountain and explained the hidden door. "Gandalf says that the secret to reading the map is hidden, he cannot read it."

"He cannot, but I might be of help." Rylee looked down at the paper, reading the runes a frown marring her brow. She moved the paper in to a stream of moon light and there was a slight silver shimmer, Rylee pointed it out to Thorin, "Moon runes, they can only be read by the light of the same moon in the same season on which they were written, which is why we cannot read it. I can see that they are there, but the forms are undistinguished. What moon is it?"

"A new moon," Thorin shot her a dark look. "It is the end of April, why?"

Rylee counted off the days in her head and thought about what supplies she would need to make moon tea for while she was out on the road. The last thing she wanted was to attract predators while travelling. She made a mental note to check out Bilbo's garden to see if he had the herbs that she would need. Ignoring Thorin's question she continued to study the map. She squinted at the newer runes and shook her head, "I know the new runes, and the ones from the First Age, but most of this is different, it is muddy. Time has done what it does best and changed things. Regardless you will not be able to unlock the secrets of this map for several weeks. Perhaps in that time we can find you someone who can read the runes from the ages in between, aye?"

They sat at the table in silence for several minutes, Thorin watched as Rylee sat back in her chair and propped her feet up on the chair beside her. She was watching the Company in the other room, a thoughtful expression on her face. Her fingers moved to her throat, her thumb hooking under a string of black and red beads, pulling them out of her tunic. She ran her thumb down and grasped on to the pendant, the casing was made of the same red metal as the beads and the clasps in her hair. The fine claws of the casing held a black diamond, but instead of a large cut stone, it was carved. Intricately carved, with detail no Dwarf or Elven jeweler could manage. Her black diamond rose. He looked again and realized that the star gem from the center of the rose was missing. Still she handled it lovingly, carefully. "So you keep speaking of your quest, what is it about?"

"I am to 'Change the Hands of Fate', vague, I know. They usually are, but since I was sent here to your Company, It must mean that I am meant to accompany you on your quest. Not that it would matter, obviously where you go, I go, as you are my guardian." Rylee said softly, rolling her eyes at the last word. She didn't look at him, just continued to look over the company.

"So this might not be about the dragon at all," Thorin said looking at her. She offered her services as a Dragon Slayer, though he was fully aware that she was capable of killing such beasts, she was really supposed to save a member of the company. "Yet you are still willing to offer your services as a slayer?"

"Aye. Tell me of Smaug? How big is he, is he a winged beast or a ground dweller? How long has he been holding your mountain? I am going to assume that he is a fire drake of the north. I need to know everything you can tell me about him." Rylee said softly, her eyes flicked to Thorin and she read the darkened pain in his eyes. "I know he has caused you pain Ugshar, he is a dragon, it is what they do. If I am to be of any assistance in bringing the beast to the ground then I need to know everything. Leave nothing out."

"He is huge, monstrous, much larger than anything I can describe. His scales are like flame, he burns from within. He has massive footed or clawed wings. He destroyed the City of Dale with liquid fire, and yet we also saw him burn through the forests with a dry fire. His love for gold and jewels is beyond anything I have ever seen before." Thorin described the monster. Rylee was thoughtful. If he lived within the mountain then he was nowhere near as large as Ancalagon, even though he was an adult when he first took the mountain from the Dwarves.

"By your description I am assuming that he is larger than Glaurung and smaller than Ancalagon. He has been dormant for sixty years, you said?" Rylee looked up at Thorin in askance, he nodded once. A long dormancy usually meant a contented and uncontested dragon. He was not coming out, mostly because he did not need to. This bothered her. It meant they would have to disturb the beast in order to destroy it. That would lead to death and destruction. She knew the patterns of these beasts all too well, too much experience with the monsters.

He didn't want her to go with him for the one reason that she wanted to go. The dragon. He remembered Mahal telling him of her first hunt. Even the Valar could not get her to tell them everything that happened, she was not proud of it, and her shame held her tongue. When Thorin asked her about it, she broke down completely and confessed everything. In that moment he was both proud of her and livid. Her recklessness nearly got her killed. The fact that she still hunted others bothered him greatly as did the number of black bone beads in her hair, one for every dragon.

Rylee reminded Thorin of his mother. A war maiden in her own right, brave and fierce on the battlefield. A force to be reckoned with and yet Rylee was even more feisty. She was the War Maiden of The Valar and he needed to remember that. As far as she was concerned, he was a very small part of her life, while she was always the bright spot in his, even when they were at odds.

He watched carefully as her eyes wandered over the group. It was like she was studying them, memorizing their faces, trying to figure out who it was that she was to save? He knew the moment her eyes settled on Kili, her gaze softened, her lips quirked up into a small smile. When she moved her eyes away it was like she had to force them to move. Within minutes her eyes would wander back to his nephew and the reaction would repeat.

"So what is with the bow," Thorin whispered quietly to her, after the third time. He felt more than saw her stiffen. Archery was always a touchy subject for her, since it was the one weapon that she could not use.

"I made it because of Divine Inspiration and I need to find an Archer to teach me to use it," Rylee said following Thorin's eyes to Kili's form. He was in his bed roll chatting quietly with Fili. They were settling down before the fire, ready to get a good night's sleep. "Otherwise I am stuck with a most cherished weapon that I will never be able to use."

"It still steers right does it?" Thorin asked softly, and after a moment she nodded in silence. The bow, the singular weapon that she was unable to master, all because of the infuriating tendency of the arrow turning right, regardless of the amount of practice she did. He looked at her as she watched his nephews, a smile pulled at the corner of her mouth as she watched the young princes pester each other. "That is part of your quest?"

She sighed and closed her eyes for a long moment, before turning back to him. "Aye, it is part of it. 'The archer is the one who will teach you', Mahal said, and then he dropped me on Kili's lap. Knowing Mahal and his sense of humor, Kili is my teacher. I am willing to bet on it."

"Aye that sounds like Mahal," Thorin smirked, and then chuckled quietly. In his dreams, his dealings with Mahal were often like that. The Vala was full of cheek; he often reminded Thorin of his brother-in-law, and both of his nephews, "Especially considering that Kili is a master in the skill."

Thorin looked at his nephews; unlike Fili, Kili usually did not garner a great deal of attention from the dwarf-maids at Ered Luin. His lack of beard either pushed ladies away or made them treat him as a young inept. What the lasses never realized was that Kili kept his beard shorn on purpose. A beard would only get in the way when using the bow. Regardless, Kili was a notorious flirt, and because of his insistence and his bright personality he was known to take the odd lover. He would play Rylee like a fiddle if she allowed it, "And the fact that your eyes are drawn to Kili?"

Rylee went completely rigid, a pink blush brightened her cheeks before she paled and the steel mask slipped into place. She dropped the pendant into her tunic, hiding it away, and looked at the table before mumbling, "When I figure it out, I will tell you."

"He will toy with you, if you let him," Thorin told her gruffly. He didn't want Rylee to get hurt, not if he could warn her away, "Guard your heart, lest it be stolen."

She met his eye, a small smirk lifted the corners of her mouth but her eyes held deep sadness and she nodded at his advice, "As with most males, it is often so and I am accustomed to thievery. It is late. I am going to go find a place to sleep. Thank you, Thorin, for your company."

"Good evening, Lukhdel, sleep well," Thorin responded in kind. Thorin watched her walk away and he couldn't help but wonder who hurt her so deeply. Was it her suitor? Was he the one to take the star gem or was she speaking metaphorically. He realized that they did not talk about their argument, her use of magic, or any of the issues that they were having before she left for Arda. They needed to talk about it. It was like she had purposely steered the argument away from those topics. She barely mentioned the use of magic, and other than trying to instigate an argument when she first arrived, she was almost docile for the remainder of the evening.

"I won't but thank you all the same," Rylee gave him a half bow, then she turned and gathered her belongings and headed off to find a place to sleep.

There were few enough spaces available with fifteen others in the hobbit hole, not including herself, so Rylee went outside. It was a cool spring night not that it mattered much to her. She was not used to sleeping in such a closed up stuffy, heated place. The war tent she was in the night before was open and airy. She put her layers back on as well as the whip, then she bundled herself into her thick fur cloak. She found a little spot in the garden that was somewhat protected from the change of the winds and curled herself into a little ball. She slept with her axes under her head, one hand always on the handle, just in case she needed to fight on the fly.

Closing her eyes, she let the tears fall, the ones that she held in for so long. She released them in the light of the moon, curling in upon herself as grief unending spilled out of her, in silent wracking sobs. She screamed her agony into the thick leather and fur cloak, and let the pain wash over her. Much later when the tears were no more she drifted off into a restless sleep, as she told Thorin, she did not sleep well.


	4. Let the Adventure Begin

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

**BTW: Shout out to my awesome and amazing Beta reader Axel Beau. Love you!**

Chapter 4

Let the Adventure Begin

April 28

She was up before dawn, the fire eye that haunted her dreams all night left her feeling wary and on edge. The voice that came with it still haunted her, seductive and cold, promising power and the painlessness she so desired. Morgoth, or one of his many minions, trying to seduce her into joining the darkness, trying to get her to turn away from her father and her quest. She felt hunted. Mixed with visions of death and destruction, that plagued her dreams, the portents of what was yet to come. Rylee shook it off and moved around the garden, searching out the herbs that she would need for Moon Tea. Then she went in search of Mikhaul. She could feel her close by, and sure enough she found the great steed in a field just down the hill and over a rise. She was already loaded up with a thick bedroll, a pack of Rylee's personal belongings, and several satchels of fruit and vegetables for the pair of them.

They made their way into Bywater and stopped in at the Green Dragon for something to eat. Luckily Mikhaul brought money with her, so Rylee was able to eat. Once they were done they set out on the Great East Road, heading towards Erebor on their own. They didn't get far before Rylee's senses picked up something in the surrounding country side.

"You feel that Mikhaul? Like we are being watched?" Rylee asked quietly. The horse nodded her head and looked in the direction she felt the presence. "Well here we go again, on the trail for less than an hour and already we are being hunted."

They turned towards the presence and turned the hunter into the hunted. They were not afraid of what they would find. Both Mikhaul and Rylee were used to being tracked by darkness, ever since that fateful dark night that Rylee got caught in a deep dark web.

Wargs, a pair of Wargs, they growled low and spoke in black speech into her mind. Much like Mikhaul did. "The Master has said you will join us in darkness. He said all of Aulë's children fall, they are corruptible."

"Your master is wrong, Morgoth and his Minions can stay in their wretched darkness, it will not consume me." Rylee growled forebodingly as she pulled her feet from her stirrups and crouched low on her saddle. She kept balance as Mikhaul charged forward and Rylee launched herself at the first warg, pulling her axes in the air. Mikhaul went after the second Warg, her silver hooves flashing in the morning light. With a battle cry, Rylee roared her anger as she drove the first of her axes into the face of the black Warg. Its white teeth snapped and snarled at her, trying to tear at her shoulder and side, trying in vain to bite through her leathers and her chain mail. Rylee laughed maniacally, swinging the other axe into the foul beasts throat, ending his life in two deadly strikes.

With her hooves alone, Mikhaul destroyed the second Warg. Each strike with her silver hooves cut deep in to the thick black fur. Bucking, stomping and rearing to strike the foul creature down. It didn't take them long to kill the threat.

"Well Mikhaul we better get moving, the others will be on the trail by now, and who knows what else I have lured to us." Rylee said as she wiped her axe blades on the black fur. They didn't go far before they were ambushed by another pair of Wargs. These too they took down with relative ease, but the day was wasting away. The Company would be far ahead of them now, and Rylee was not interested in explaining why her blades were covered in brackish Warg blood.

"Morgoth is really out for us this time, Mikhaul," Rylee was introspective as they made their way back to the road.

"Morgoth is not a threat any longer, this is a minion of some sort." Mikhaul whispered into her mind, "Eru said the darkness is growing again, and its claim on you is still strong, you need to be careful."

"Minion or not, Morgoth tries to lure me in every life, I am not surprised to know that the darkness is after me once again," Rylee rolled her eyes in annoyance. Still she wondered who or what this being was. There were dragons smart enough to manipulate such evil, but they were often too set on their gold hoards to attend to such matters. Was Ungoliant still around after all these years? The thought sent shivers down her spine. "Did you hear what that Warg said? All of Aulë's children are weak? I am not weak! I will not be corrupted by darkness!"

"Of course not Rylee, you have Nienna's Grace and Eru's strength," Mikhaul admonished her softly, "But that does not mean that you should start courting trouble where there needs be none. It already follows you; we will hunt those that hunt us and no more than that. There is no point in chasing down the darkness. That is not your task."

"I know, I know, it is to 'Change the Hands of Fate'. Still Thorin is going to kill me if he finds out about this; one for going without him, and two for 'hunting alone' again. That's the last thing I need right now Mikhaul." Rylee told her dearest companion. "It is bad enough that he thinks I am reckless and impulsive, to add this to it. I just can't do it. He cannot know about this. Just for today, I do not want to start an argument with him."

"It's okay Rylee, I will just run by them and we can find you a stream to clean up in, no one will know better." Mikhaul assured her as they made their way back down to the Great East Road.

"Except that this is Thorin," Rylee rolled her eyes in frustration, "He always knows."

* * *

><p>They were up at the crack of dawn, Bilbo Baggins was still sleeping, his contract still unsigned and the Company was ready to set out. Gandalf was one of the first to say that they should start out, that Bilbo would be along whenever he was up. The other dwarves were not so certain that he would come at all, so they placed bets on whether or not the Hobbit would show. They headed into Bywater and bought food supplies, and ponies for the trip.<p>

Rylee was nowhere to be found. Not at the Hobbit Hole, nor in Bywater, nor was she out on the trail. Fili and Kili were both a little more than perturbed about this, since they were both hoping that she would be coming along.

"You would think after fighting with Thorin about it, she would be here," Kili sulked, looking around the small village.

"Perhaps she just slept in, like Mr. Baggins," Fili told him softly, trying to assure his younger brother.

"You don't think she left without us do you?" Kili said suddenly as the other option struck his mind. She was adamant about going after the dragon, and she studied the map for a great long while.

"She did disappear in the middle of nowhere," Fili said, it was a plausible option. "From what I could see she didn't sleep anywhere in the Hobbit Hole."

"That, my dear Fili, is because Rylee prefers sleeping outside," Gandalf said as he walked by, taking the reins of his horse.

Thorin said nothing, though he did look at Gandalf in askance once and was told, "Don't doubt that one. She will be along, when she is good and ready."

"Your Hobbit didn't meet us at the Inn and we will be out of Bywater soon." Thorin grumbled darkly. "And if the Hobbit shows like you think he will Rylee won't have a pony."

"Believe me Thorin, she won't need nor want one." Gandalf spoke cryptically as they headed out of Bree and onto the road. Thorin glared at the wizard, every answer he gave was obscure and only led to more questions.

"For someone who was only there to drop her off at her host home, you certainly know a lot about her habits." Thorin sent Gandalf a questioning look.

"I stayed for her third quest, I learned a great deal about adventures from Rylee." Gandalf replied with an oddly amused smile. "Even with darkness following her, a hoard of suitors, or a crown on her brow, she was able to make time for an adventure."

"How much of the Mithril Queen is a fallacy?" Thorin asked the wizard. He did not like the fact that Gandalf knew more about Rylee's habits than he did. He did not like that there were seven years of her life that he knew nothing about. He did not like the fact that she put up a stone wall to keep him and everyone else out. There was a lot going on under the cold mask she wore, he wondered where the cheeky ragamuffin went. If his suspicions were correct there was only one in their party who could bring her back. With all the distractions that a romance among the company implied. Thorin was not happy.

"A minor exaggeration of actual events, as many legends are," Gandalf said with a glint in his eyes. "There is a great deal of her adventures that even I do not know."

"Who gave her the courting braid?" Thorin asked thinking of the hurt he saw flicker in Rylee's eyes the night before. He wondered if it would hold her back from her obvious affection for Kili.

"Again, that is a tale of her own; she would not like me to share it, besides she would argue any attachment to that betrothal, since she disputed it to the bitter end," the wise wizard told him.

"But my guess is that he stole the star of Ilúvatar and she said there were other suitors," Thorin asked, she said that there her many.

"She is beautiful and alluring, witty and intelligent. The type of woman who garners the attention of others, she was well sought by all races." Gandalf said in surprise looking at the exiled Dwarf King. "I am surprised you know about the star."

"It was a guess, Gandalf," Thorin admonished him angrily. "I have known Rylee since the day she was born. I helped raise her. She used to turn everything into a debate, and now there is nothing. Last night she held her rage in check and we barely argued, everything is hidden away and compressed. I want to know what happened to change her; she never used to be so cold."

"The War of Wrath happened, she lost friends, comrades, companions," Gandalf said quietly, thinking about all of the things that happened in the First Age that Rylee was part of. "She died three times and became a queen. That alone would change a person."

It was not ten minutes later that Bilbo came running up to the group asking them to wait. The little hobbit showed, and yet Rylee, did not.

"I signed it!" Bilbo said as he handed the contract up to Balin. He panted, catching his breath as he waited for Balin to check it over, all proper-like.

"Everything appears to be in order," Balin smiled down from atop his pony as he folded the paper into his hands, putting it away for safe keeping, "Welcome Master Baggins to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield."

There were some chuckles from the group as they looked upon their newest member. Bilbo looked up at them, excited but unsure of what he was supposed to do now. He was disappointed to see that the little queen was not among the Company.

"Give him a pony," Thorin ordered resignedly, if there was one member he wished had not shown up, it was this one. The one he wanted alongside him was still missing. He was hoping talk to her, to make amends and to get to know Rylee again, and yet she was as elusive in the real world as she was in the dream world.

"No, N-no, That won't be necessary," Bilbo stuttered looking at Thorin, the last thing he wanted was to be on a pony. He had the most dreadful allergy to horses, and the last thing he wanted was to ride one. He preferred walking, he did not feel comfortable at all with his feet off the ground. "I am sure I can keep up, I have been on my fair share of walking holidays. I even made it as far as Frogmorton once, Whoa!"

He was up into the air and placed on a pony by Fili and Kili, within the blink of an eye. It took him a few uncomfortable minutes, but the pony was gentle and kindly, so it didn't take long for him to settle in. He was quite chagrined to find out that several of the Dwarves had wagers against him showing up, but pleased when Gandalf bet that he would come along. Until he felt the sneezes rise up and tickle his nose. He checked for his handkerchief and found none, he checked again and still not a thing in his pocket, not even his pipe and tobacco. He called for everyone to stop, complaining that he did not have his kerchief and they all looked at him like he was crazy. Gandalf told him in no uncertain terms that there would be no turning back, that he would have to learn to do without such things. It was a little hard to take.

They carried on. They carried on for hours, when suddenly out of nowhere a streak of black with a long white flag streaked past. All anyone could hear was a rich joyous laughter and the pounding of hooves.

"Greetings, everyone!" Rylee's voice called as she charged past on a massive sleek black horse. It looked like a war charger, it was twice as big as the other ponies, even larger than Gandalf's horse! The horse had a long white mane, so long that Rylee braided it into two long plaits and used the hair as reins hooking them on to the sides of the halter. Wait, the horse was not wearing a halter. The horse had a beard? A long white tail trailed behind like a banner in the wind. She was racing to the front of the pony train, going so fast that the company barely made out her greeting. Oin didn't hear it at all, and nearly fell out of his seat as she sped past. "Bilbo, I knew you would join us!"

"That would by Rylee and Mikhaul." Gandalf said to no one in particular. "That horse has energy for days. We will catch up to her later this afternoon."

"That was Rylee?" Bilbo squeaked in surprise, the flash of darkness that just passed was a horse and a girl? He could not believe his eyes. This adventure was already shaping up to be quite interesting. Even if he didn't have his handkerchiefs or his pipe, "The horse is so big, how does she control it?"

"Did that horse have a beard?" Kili asked in surprise, checking to see if he was the only one who saw the odd halter-less reins on the horse.

"I do believe so Kili, odd that a horse has a longer beard than you," Fili teased his younger brother. Kili rolled his eyes. They both knew that Kili trimmed his beard daily to keep it from catching in his bow string.

"She most certainly does have a beard, and no one controls her, they just enjoy being together," Gandalf said, as he looked over the heads of the Company at the quickly fading back of the War-Maiden. "She is not of this world, and only comes when Rylee has need of her. They are the oldest of friends, having been born in Valinor at about the same time. At least that is what Rylee told me. Mikhaul swears that she is older, though."

"The horse talks?" Fili asked looking at Gandalf as though he was mad.

"If you listen to her, then yes, she does." Gandalf laughed as though it was the most logical thing in the world. Fili and Kili exchanged a glance, wondering exactly how a person could talk to a horse.

At the front of the line Thorin rode with Balin and Dwalin, when Rylee and Mikhaul galloped by. Rylee's dark flame red hair streamed out behind her, mixing with the shock of white from Mikhaul's mane. Her deadly axes glinting darkly on her back as they road far and fast ahead of the company. Thorin just shook his head. "Mikhaul. I should have known the horse would come with her."

The Company rode along for several more hours before they came over a long rise. Fili and Kili were near the back of the line with Gandalf and Bilbo. Thorin and Dwalin were near the front with Balin following closely behind. They were the first to find Rylee and Mikhaul as they came over a long rise, overlooking a deep river valley. Rylee stood beside Mikhaul, at the edge of a long clear creek. Her cloak and coat were both stowed away, but she was wearing her leather tunic. She also wore her greaves and gauntlets which told Thorin that she also wore her mail. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he realized that when she passed earlier her bright axes had a black tint to them, now they were bright and shining with red runes. He closed his eyes and swore under his breath. The damn girl had been hunting.

Mikhaul was carrying a bedroll, a large pack and a pair of burgeoning saddle bags on her back. Rylee had her axes in hand and looked as though she was slowly working through some sequences with them. It was as though she was sparring with an invisible enemy. Dwalin could not help but think that the woman was nimble and quick and seemed to know her blades well. He admired her skill with them. Something that he would not willingly admit, it was one thing to be good in practice, it was completely different in battle. Until then he would keep his judgment to himself.

"Her form is better than I remember," Thorin said looking down at them. From what he could see, Rylee was talking to the horse as she practiced, and the horse almost seemed to understand the lass. Mikhaul nodded, snorted, whinnied and neighed in response to some of the things the War-Maiden was saying. He remembered Rylee's tales about the mare whenever they met in their dreams. At first he was certain that his little ragamuffin pupil was exaggerating, until he learned that Rylee hated tall tales, hated bragging about anything.

Seeing the Company come over the rise, Rylee stowed and secured her axes back into their straps. The large black horse, dipped into a low bow allowing Rylee to climb on in front of her packs. She waited for them patiently and moved alongside Thorin and Dwalin as they passed by.

"You went hunting," Thorin said staunchly. It was not a question but a statement of fact.

Rylee met his eye unwavering, "Aye, a handful of Wargs sought to track us. I did not desire their company, so we killed them. Do you have a problem with this?"

"You are to stay with the company, Rylee." Thorin said his voice cold and soft. "That is an order."

"One I will likely not abide by," Rylee said quietly, still unflinching from his steady glare. "I do not wish to argue with you today."

"We will discuss this later," Thorin growled in annoyance, he had no choice but to break his gaze as he had to steer his pony, Rylee did not. Mikhaul was her own guide. He heaved a sigh of frustration and let the argument slide for the moment. It was not the way he wanted to start their companionship. At some point they would need to set some ground rules, but what needed to be said was private and there was no time at the moment. They continued on in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again.

"Mikhaul, dreams don't do you justice Horse. You are more wondrous in the flesh." Thorin said looking at the great mare. It was the first time seeing her in his waking life. "When did you arrive?"

Mikhaul nickered in thanks, and said into his thoughts, "I arrived this morning when Rylee woke up. She needed to gather some herbs and things from the market. Luckily Eru gave me some coins, because Rylee never has any money."

"What do you mean arrive, Thorin?" Balin asked having not heard Mikhaul's answer, since she was only talking to Thorin. Thorin winked at Rylee and she smirked back.

"Mikhaul shows up when I need her, with my belongings and her supplies." Rylee told him honestly, both Balin and Dwalin looked at her with a great amount of suspicion. "She is my only companion from Aman."

"She is from Aman?" Dwalin looked at her oddly. "You have a horse of the Valar."

"Aye, she gets a little excited when we go on adventures," Rylee said and the horse bobbed her head in agreement, and then shook her head in great denial at Rylee's next question, "You're not a big fan of stables and pastures are you Mikhaul?"

"She has a beard!" Dwalin said looking at the massive creature beside him. The horse was quite large, he had to look up to look at Rylee sitting atop the great horse. Mikhaul was black as a mid night sky, in fact she almost looked like she had stars within her shining dark coat. Her mane and tail were white. And sure enough the horse had a full beard. One so long that it was split in two and braided. Rylee had them tied like reigns over the horse's neck. That in itself was odd, because Rylee was not using them as reins.

"Aye, she does, Eru told Mahal that he was not allowed to give me a beard, so Mahal told Eru to put my beard on the horse instead. It became a bit of a joke, but I think Mikhaul's beard is most divine." Rylee told him easily, she really liked Thorin's friends. Unlike some of the people she met in her past lives, they were so easy to be around. Even Dwalin, it was like he was challenging her to prove herself to him. "I call her an Eruquine instead of an equine, since she is a horse, and she is Eru's steed. We grew up together, and we bonded, so when I was sent to Middle-Earth, Mikhaul came with me. She refuses to tell me how she convinced Eru to let her go."

"So she talks, too?" Dwalin scoffed, about to roll his eyes when suddenly the horse began to bob her head. He felt the faint suggestion of someone whispering in his mind, telling him to ask Rylee to cut her an apple, "What the hell was that?"

"You felt it too?" Balin asked in surprise from behind Rylee.

"Aye! What the hell was that?" Dwalin asked again impatiently.

"That was Mikhaul, she was speaking to you, and wants Rylee to show you her aim." Thorin said with a quiet chuckle as Rylee rolled her eyes, "and she only wants her to do that, because Mikhaul prefers her apples split in half."

"Can you really do that?" Balin asked from behind them, Rylee turned around and looked over the large packs on the back of her mare. He was riding just behind his brother.

"Do what; cut an apple in mid air?" Rylee asked, "You doubt that I can?"

"I know what you can do with a knife, have you mastered the axe yet?" Thorin asked her. Rylee looked at him in question, since he was the one to teach her the trick. He just quirked a brow at her, a challenge from her teacher, she met his look.

"I take it you would prefer to see?" Rylee asked a small smirk pulling at her lips. Mikhaul immediately suggested they ask her to use the axe, knives were too easy. Thorin chuckled quietly, Dwalin and Balin would never ease up on her until they were certain that she was worthy, besides it was amusing to get to know Rylee again.

"Can you do it while riding?" Dwalin asked her, she looked at him in surprise.

"Is that a challenge?" Rylee smirked at him.

"I bet that you cannot split an apple with your axe, in mid air, while riding your horse." Dwalin gave her a smirk of his own.

"Sitting or standing?" Rylee said offering to raise the stakes.

"Standing, definitely standing," Dwalin said narrowing his eyes at the girl.

"What do I get if I can?" Rylee inquired saucily. Thorin knew that it was Mikhaul's interference that was bringing out the cheekiness in the girl, and he was happy to see it.

"Ten crowns," Dwalin offered, his voice a low growl.

"I have five crowns that says you don't have that aim," Balin agreed with the others.

"I have ten crowns that says you can't," Fili said as he rode up aside Balin. Rylee looked at the young dwarf in surprise. He grinned back up at her, blonde eyebrows bouncing in amusement.

"I will opt out," Thorin said keeping his expression even, there was no way that he was going to give away her skill set.

"And what do you want if I lose? It is not like I have money," Rylee looked at them one by one. She really didn't have anything to bet against, the money Mikhaul brought was long gone.

"You make them each a new weapon when we arrive in Erebor." Thorin said a smirk on his face, "Or are you just trying to get out of the bet?"

"Oh, I don't like to back down from a challenge." Rylee grinned, "Mikhaul, which pack has the apples?"

Mikhaul suggested which of the packs held her favorite fruit and Rylee rolled her eyes, "Of course, it would be the one most handy. Who wants to throw the apple?"

"I'll do it, since I am too late to wager," Kili offered, as he pulled up behind them.

She turned and reached into the bag, pulling out a fresh ripe apple, and tossed it to Kili. Then she pulled one of her axes and handed it to Dwalin, "Check it out for nicks, cuts or anything that you think would make it a trick blade, I don't want to be called a cheat when I am done."

Dwalin did as asked, the axe was heavier than it looked, and the handles much shorter than his own, but then they were made for a woman. The head of the curved axe was made of folded iron and mithril, there were red colored runes decorating the entire head and the blade was red. The runes were in ancient Khuzdul he could not read all that was written on it, but he could read the name, Blood, he handed it back.

"Everyone ready?" There was a hum of response and Rylee released her feet from the stirrups and pulled her legs under her. She stood slowly finding Mikhaul's rhythm and readied her axe in her hand. "Kili, keep it fairly straight, if you please. Toss it as high as you like."

The apple flew high and just slightly forward and within seconds the heavy axe followed. There was a snick and the apple split in two even pieces. The apple pieces began to drop, and the axe spun brightly in the air for a second before dropping back toward the ground. Rylee balanced herself as Mikhaul moved forward and to the right, away from the others and Rylee reached out her hand towards the spinning axe and snagged it out of the air. Along the way Mikhaul snagged up one half and then the other half of her apple munching merrily on it. Rylee dropped back into her seat and wiped the axe blade on her breaches and then slipped the weapon back into its place on her back.

"Damn, I would have made a killing on that bet," Kili grumbled behind her. Rylee chuckled and the others grumbled a little.

"How many times have you practiced that trick?" Dwalin grumbled passing her ten crowns.

"Let's just say, I have a great throwing arm and really great aim," Rylee accepted her winnings from Balin as well, putting them into her empty coin purse, "With everything but a bow. I make a fine bow, but I cannot shoot worth- um, anything."

"Perhaps you just have not had the right teacher," Kili said cheekily, Rylee blushed but said nothing. Thorin looked at his nephew for a long moment, and wondered if Rylee was correct and the bow would choose Kili as her teacher.

The company kept moving steadily forward over the hills and dales through grass lands and over small ridges. Rylee had never been this far south or east before, since her first three lives were mostly centered in the battles that took place in Beleriand, Gondolin and Angband. She had never been to the Shire since it didn't exist in the First Age. Most Hobbits lived on the other side of the Misty Mountains, and since Fleet Took decided to stay in Gondolin with his beloved she never ventured any further south or east of the Blue Mountains. Bag End was the first Hobbit Hole Rylee had ever seen, and she was greatly impressed by it. With its low ceilings and round doors, and indoor plumbing, and the cozy furnishings she could see it as a very welcoming little home. This age had the most amazing inventions.

When she went into Bree she was still greatly impressed by the tall structures and the friendly people, the mix of races that seemed to get along amicably. They didn't even blink when she entered the Inn for breakfast, and the bar maid was friendly and welcoming. Now that they were on the road and she had time to take in her surroundings, she was once again awed by the scenery. She could see the Mountains far in the distance, and whenever they reached a hill top, she could see the changes in terrain roll out before her for miles upon miles. At the pace they were going it would take them weeks to reach the foothills of those mountains. It would be even longer if they were on foot. The sheer size of Middle-Earth always surprised her, and made her feel so incredibly small.

The sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon before Thorin decided to stop for the night in a low lying glade in the cover of a heavy wall of trees. Judging by the angle of the sun Rylee estimated that there were about two hours left before sunset. Just enough time to set up a camp and get rotations and chores completed before getting into bedrolls. Thorin had Oin and Gloin set the fire and Bombur and Bilbo to cook when Dwalin asked why Rylee didn't help the rotund dwarf. Thorin chuckled quietly as Gandalf responded, "Not unless you like eating rock, she cannot cook."

"I take it the lessons with Nienna didn't fare so well," Thorin said softly, and got a laugh from Gandalf and earned a steel look from the dwarrowdam.

"When I told you lessons with Nienna were not going well, I may have underplayed exactly how bad they were." Rylee said as she started unpacking the bags on Mikhaul's back. "Even Mikhaul knows this, which is why most of this stuff, is fruit and vegetables that we can both eat raw."

She opened up the saddlebags and displayed the carrots, apples, potatoes, zucchinis, and a few pears. Mikhaul knew how much Rylee loved pears. She grabbed an apple and a small knife from her boot and sliced the apple in half offering both halves to Mikhaul. Then she grabbed a pear for herself. "Anyone want an apple or piece of fruit? Maybe Bombur can use some of this in a stew or something?"

"How bad were they?" Thorin asked quietly, he didn't think she would appreciate a loud open conversation.

"I may have set a few things on fire," Rylee whispered before she turned back to her task. "Like the entire kitchen."

Thorin started to laugh, he met Gandalf's eyes, and they both shared a chuckle at Rylee's expense. Rylee ignored them both and continued unpacking. Her last pack contained a change of clothes; her leathers, the same ones she always kept on hand for her. The leather darkened to black. With bright red beads along the fur lined cuffs. Then there were extra undergarments, because Rylee couldn't stand feeling unclean. There was soap and a bath sheet as well, at the very bottom was her Kit, her Journal and her quill and ink. Rylee laughed, putting them back into the pack, "Oh, Mikhaul, you know me so well. Thank you."

Rylee waited for the others to set up their bedrolls before she placed hers further away from the fire. She knew that regardless of where the ponies slept Mikhaul would sleep beside her. There was no tether that Mikhaul could not get out of, and she was not the kind of horse that would ever run off. Few people enjoyed sleeping next to horses, so it was Rylee's intention to keep herself and Mikhaul further away from the group.

Mikhaul requested Rylee to help her clean up her messy braids and matted tail, wanting to have a brush down before settling in for the night. So she spent the next half hour, unraveling the horse's braids and currying her down with a fine toothed curry comb that she found in the packs. Then she began the processes of braiding her beard and mane, in the fashion that Mikhaul preferred. When she was done she gave the horse a pat on her neck, "There you go, beautiful Mikhaul. Have a good night."

Mikhaul slowly lowered herself to the ground lying down beside her mistress. Rolling a bit onto her side, and tucking her legs a bit underneath her, so that her belly was offered for warmth and yet she would be able to rise quickly. Her head and feet positioned in the same direction as Rylee's bedroll. Rylee removed her axes and sat on her bedroll with her stone and oilcloth, and then she began working her blades, checking for nicks, scratches and any imperfections in the construction. She made them similar to how she made swords, layering harder ore around softer iron and slowly blending the metals in the billet. It was no hatchet or wood cutting axe. It was more than that. When she was satisfied with the axes she put them back in their holsters and placed them under her pillow, she didn't sleep in the wild without her axes close by. Mahal knew she did not sleep anywhere without them close by.

Kili watched her from where He and Fili placed their bedrolls on the opposite side of camp. Her movements were almost ritualistic, as though she was going through the motions of tasks that were second nature to her. She stood and grabbed the clasp of the whip and with a nearly silent click the metal began to pool around her feet. Stepping out of the circle she pulled the long metal coils into her lap and sat back in her seat. She began to work the fine rings that created the whip. His curiosity got the best of him and Kili moved to sit beside her and took the tail of the whip in his hands. He originally thought that the whip was just some sort of fine chain, but really it was more than that. Each ring sat parallel to the next, like beads placed on a very fine wire. They went from the smallest bead in his hand which was little more than the head of a pin, to the sturdy heavier rings that were as thin and flat as coins. There were four thin grooves in each one of the rings and Kili wondered what the grooves were for.

"How often do you clean it?" Kili asked her in the fading sun light, watching as it lit the red in her hair. While they travelled he watched the sun shining on the braids and the long dark red waves that spilled down her back. At Bilbo's he thought maybe her hair was dark brown with red tones, but in the light of the sun he saw that it was a deep dark auburn, darker than any red he ever saw. It was like dark fire and left him wondering if it still felt as silky as he remembered, or if it was just his imagination.

"After it has seen any type of use, I only clean it now because of the volcano. I was uncertain what the damage might be. Watch your hands, Kili, I need to work the blades now." Rylee told him, her voice soft and low, as though she meant to keep a secret. He released the end and looked up at her as she pressed a small button on the handle, right near where a hilt would be on a sword. Like a snake unraveling its coils four sets of fine red blades flicked out from the grooves in the long beaded silver chain. Each individual blade linked to make four long cutting edges and from the tip down it would look like a four pointed star. Her fingers were deft and sure as she used the oiled cloth to clean each blade checking for imperfections as she went.

"How does it not cut you when you are wearing it? What if it opened?" Kili asked, not liking the image that popped into his mind as he thought of the consequences.

"That has only ever happened once, on purpose." She said then was silent for a long time, and Kili wondered if she was ignoring him intentionally. But he saw her brow furrow in concentration as she worked on a set of links near the tail that looked slightly damaged, working them with stone and cloth until they shone and moved independently once again. It didn't take her long to work the entire whip from handle to tail. Flicking the button on the whip again the blades retracted. She coiled it back up and pushed the tail of the whip into a hole at the end of the handle, clicking it closed. "As long as the tail is in this catch, the knives will not release, it is like a safety clip."

"Where did you get such a weapon?" Kili asked as he took the coil from her hands, inspecting the odd whip. He moved his hand over the links all the way to the handle. There were runes on it, engraved into the metal. "I don't recognize these."

"It is interesting, is it not, that time can change things that seem inconsequential, but the loss becomes profound when the knowledge of lost things is required," She said softly, a small smile curled her lips. "They say, Strength, Flexibility, and Accuracy, Her name is Dragons Bane."

"Dragons Bane?" Kili asked in surprise. She named her whip? He knew of great swords and axes that had names, but really, a whip?

"Aye, I named her Dragons Bane when the enemy started calling me that," Rylee chuckled, few people ever believed that the whip could be deadly, until they saw it in action. She stood and put the oil, cloth and stone back into her pack. Then she moved to the packs that sat just behind her massive steed, and pulled out a journal. It looked much like Ori's leather bound paper filled book, and Kili wondered if she was a scribe like he was. She rummaged for something and upon finding it she let out a soft, 'aha!' which Kili could not help but chuckle at. The horse sent a suggestion into his mind and Kili looked at the horse and grinned, a small snort left the horse in response. As Rylee righted herself, Mikhaul took that moment to adjust her feet, hooking Rylee's leg in the process. Kili watched in slow motion as the unsuspecting girl, toppled backwards into his lap. She was clutching her journal to her chest as she dropped, it was easy enough for Kili to reach out and catch her. Just as Mikhaul planned it.

"Mikhaul!" She cried in protest as she landed once again in the safety in Kili's arms. She blinked up at him, and her stomach clenched tightly, her heart began to race. She moved to get up, but Kili tightened his grip, as he looked down at her. Their eyes met and suddenly she wasn't sure she wanted to go anywhere.

Across the camp, Fili and Thorin were both watching the pair in amusement. Fili asked quietly, "Do you think she realizes yet that the horse tripped her on purpose?"

"Do you think she realizes that Kili was in on it?" Thorin scoffed, he sighed and knew that he needed to make a decision to either let this continue or to nip the romance in the bud.

"Are you okay with this? Kili flirting with the Daughter of Aulë," Fili asked, looking at Thorin. His uncle looked quite undecided and he was quite surprised at his inaction. Usually he preferred Kili to keep his focus on the matters at hand, not distracting himself with pretty maidens.

"I have not yet made up my mind about it. I am more concerned that Kili will hurt Rylee in the process," Thorin grumbled, looking at the pair as Rylee tried once again unsuccessfully to be released from Kili's lap. A bright flush adorned the lass's cheeks. "She may have seen battle and death, and she may have been chased by suitors but she has no experience with love."

"What do you mean, uncle? She has a courting braid." Fili asked as he watched the two, Kili flipped the girl's journal open on both of their laps, using one arm to keep the book and turn the pages, while his other arm wrapped possessively around Rylee's waist. While Rylee looked up at Kili with an expression caught somewhere between confusion and adoration.

"I asked her about it and she showed no care for the man, barely even blinked. Her reaction to Kili tells me that he is her One." Thorin stated softly, there was no denying the look that she gave Kili whenever she met his eyes. Pure adoration, a small hidden smirk pulled her lips and a soft breathy laugh. When she was around Kili she went from a pretty maid, to a stunning dwarrowdam, her face lit from within.

"How do you know?" Fili asked his curiosity was piqued.

"Have you not seen the way she looks at him? As though her mask of indifference falls away, you can see every emotion written on her face. Blatant admiration and interest in everything he does. Your mother had that same look about her when she first met your father." Thorin said as he watched the couple across the camp, "Rylee is really strong, if she really wanted out of his lap, she would have been up within seconds but she stays. She lets her hand brush across his when she turns the page, and she has curled her body towards his for balance instead of away."

"Are you certain that she is not just flirting with him?" Fili asked as he watched Rylee look up at his brother, there was a softness about her that was usually missing, a small smile she only shared with Kili. "Never mind, I think I see what you mean, when she is with him that darkness disappears and she damn near sparkles."

"Aye, I have known that girl since she was born Fili," Thorin confided in his nephew, he met Fili's eyes for a moment. "There was once a time when there was no misery, no mask, only love and light. I would like to see that girl again and I have a feeling that Kili is the only one who can bring her back."

"So you are more worried that Kili will mess it up?" Fili asked furrowing his brow, then glared at his younger brother as the realization hit. He was young, impetuous, a notorious flirt and liked to play the ladies at Ered Luin. The lack wit was likely to say or do something that would offend Rylee, and then he would brush it off as nothing.

"Aye, if I allow this to continue." Thorin said as he tried to keep his own mind on the tasks at hand. He turned away and started giving out orders and setting up the watch rotation for the night. "For now we will just wait and see what, if anything, develops."

Rylee looked up at the Dwarf Prince as he held her in his arms, wondering what the hell was wrong with her. Mahal told her what it would be like to find her One, but it could not be happening now, could it? Was that what Eru meant when he said to live fully? Was she meant to find him now? The night before she brushed off the strange feelings that she was experiencing, but this was a new day, and the same odd emotions were haunting her. It could not be coincidence. She really had no experience with men, or emotions or love. Her greatest friendships had been with Kaia and Jovina both of whom disappeared. Her next closest friend was with Olorin, who was now called Gandalf, and he was more of a companion or a guide than a friend. She had other friends too, a pair she even made a match for, but never before was there someone like Kili.

"So you really made all of these?" Kili asked flipping through the book. It was less of a journal and more of a planner. She had sketches of various weapons, with measurements, types of metals, colors of burning temperatures for each metal. There were notes on how many folds the sword ended up needing versus the original estimate. Most of it was written in Khuzdul but there was also some written in the flowing Elven scripts as well. Kili could read only half of it.

"Most of them, it is a very time consuming processes and I was at war, I didn't get a lot of time to spend in the forge." Rylee whispered as she allowed him to turn the pages, their hands brushing sending sharp heat through her flesh.

"Surely as a weapon-smith you can shoot an arrow, Rylee," his tone while gentle was almost an admonishment. He snapped the book shut and set it on the bed roll beside him. With his hand now free he had to fight the urge not to let it roam where it wanted to, instead he put it on her knee feeling the cords of the muscles through the thick leather of her breaches. He marveled at her, without the bulk of her heavy cloak and the axes and the whip, she was quite small, and light. He could hold her in his arms for hours without becoming fatigued. He was already being inappropriate by keeping her in his lap. There was no way he wanted to push his luck. Not with Thorin glaring at them across the camp.

"Do you truly think that you can teach me what Thorin and Mahal could not?" Rylee asked him, her eyebrow quirked up in a challenge. With the book gone her free hand was getting up to no good, it found the string on the collar of his tunic and was playing with it. She twined the cord through her fingers, before releasing it and starting all over again.

"Mahal tried to teach you?" Kili asked incredulous. Her hand so close to his heart was driving him to madness, he wanted her hands on him, not the string of his tunic. In fact he desired something else entirely. While he was not inexperienced with the ladies, he was inexperienced with this one and the odd emotions that came with her. He suddenly needed an escape, and quickly, "Up, let us see your form."

She bit her lip, as she contemplated her next course of action. She tried to rise, but his arm kept her tight against him, one hand splayed across her ribs at her side and the other crept higher up and around the back of her thigh. He pulled her even closer to him, and her heart beat accelerated painfully in her chest. She met his eyes, which were burning into her, making her breath hitch. Rylee whispered softly, "Kili, you either want me up, or you want me to stay here. You cannot have both."


	5. Show No Fear

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

Chapter 5

Show No Fear

April 28 - 29

"Dinner is ready!" Bofur called out, Rylee once again moved to stand, and Kili held her against him. He was loath to let her go. She was biting her lip again and he fought the urge to kiss her, the last thing he wanted was intimacy in front of the Company, but damn it was hard to let her go. With a frustrated sigh he released her and she stood up.

"Kili, I got you a bowl," Fili said from beside the fire.

Rylee offered Kili her hand, not that he needed it, but it was an offering of continued contact. One he did not turn down. Once he was back on his feet he turned towards the fire, dragging Rylee with him. Rylee cringed as she watched the flames rise as she neared the cook's fire. Fili handed Kili a bowl and Bombur gave her another, she looked at him in surprise, the portion was huge.

"You are too skinny." Bombur said with a sad shake to his head.

"I eat what I need to, Bombur," Rylee said softly, "This is too much. It will go to waste."

"Nah, just give it to one of the boys," Bofur said with a grin, "They will finish it off for you."

Rylee shook her head and walked away from the fire, watching as the flames settled back down. She sat down in the only place available, beside Kili, his scabbard sitting between them and began to eat. As she thought, she only made it through half of the bowl by the time she was full. She stared at the other half for a long moment before it was taken from her hands. She looked up in surprise.

"You weren't gonna eat that were you?" Kili asked picking up her spoon and taking a bite. "Mmm, yours tastes better than mine did."

"I don't see how, it is the same stew from the same pot," Rylee said softly. She picked up Kili's weapons from beside her. The scabbard was made from dark leather, with a beautiful woven motif in the leather. There was a place for his bow, a quiver for his arrows, and the scabbard for his sword. His bow was well made. Much like hers in almost every aspect, only where hers had mithril accents, Kili's were bone and iron. It was a beautiful weapon.

She slipped the sword catch and pulled the weapon out of the scabbard, a left-handed pull, so as not to bump Kili, who was still eating. She held it in front of her, getting a feel for the weapon. It was a short sword for a man, a long sword for a dwarf, beautifully crafted and well balanced and made to be wielded with both hands. The same knot patterns on Kili's tunic and coat were carved into the pommel and handle. It was double edged with a piercing point, the blade was made of layered steel. Running her fingers over the folded and welded layers she admired its make.

"Do you like swords?" Kili asked her with a suggestive smile, a blush swept across her face as she caught the double entendre.

"Aye, I like swords, when they are well made and used right," Rylee returned with a smirk. Fili, who was sitting on the far side of Kili started to choke on his food, "Are you alright, Fili? Did I catch you off guard?"

Kili laughed outright and pounded on Fili's back, Bofur who was standing nearby arched a brow at her over his sparkling eyes, "So lass, do you fancy Kili's sword?"

"Well Bofur, it is very well made, but I have yet to see if he uses it right," Rylee said, she kept her face perfectly straight as she said it, until Kili blushed bright red and started to choke. Fili slammed his fist on Kili's back and Rylee started to laugh.

"Rylee," Thorin said shaking his head at her in warning. Dwalin watched her speculatively. Around the fire earlier he noticed that the flames rose higher as she drew closer and calmed considerably when she took her seat near Kili. He thought it an odd reaction, as well as her reluctance to go so close to the flame, even as Kili pulled her after him.

"What? He started it!" She said with an innocent grin. "It's just a little banter about sword play!"

Bofur was doubled over laughing as were a few others. Thorin sent her a warning glance, "Doesn't mean you have to play along."

"No fun if you don't play, Ugshar, besides I heard much worse in the barrack tents on the front lines," Rylee shot back, blatantly ignoring the warning. He looked at her darkly and Rylee realized she was in trouble as she recognized the look he gave her. "Oops, went too far."

Bofur, Kili and Fili laughed at her as she looked up at a not so happy Thorin. Kili wondered for a moment what would rile him up so much until he realized that the barrack tents would house male soldiers, all male soldiers. Dismay loomed sharp inside him, what she must have seen and heard! Thorin pulled his sword and looked at her, "Let's go brat, use Kili's sword."

Rylee stood and he attacked the moment she was on her feet. Rylee yelped and danced away, blocking his quick attacks. She took in her surroundings as they fought and realized that he was quickly herding her towards a fallen tree. She would be tripped up soon if she was not careful. On the far side of the tree was an open field where they could spar freely. Rylee had different ideas.

She was blocking everything that Thorin threw at her, yet she was allowing him to herd her towards a massive felled tree. Kili watched intently as Thorin waited for her to trip up. Instead Rylee arched her back, planted her free hand on the tree and flipped over the trunk, thrusting the sword up to meet Thorin's next attack. She held him on that side of the tree, not allowing him to step over the trunk. She was defending her territory!

"Well, now we know that she can use Kili's sword," Dwalin drawled, "almost better than he does."

Bofur laughed merrily as Kili sputtered in defenseless shock, turning bright red once again. "But how does she do against more than one. Fili, grab your swords, see if you can get past her defenses."

"But she's a woman!" Dori cried aghast, it was almost blasphemous to fight against a woman, she should be protected. "One woman against two men, it's not right!"

"She says she is a War Maiden of The Valar, if she is as good as she says she is, she will hold them off for several minutes," Balin said in agreement with his brother. The girl needed to prove herself.

Fili did as he was told and grabbed his swords and joined the fray. Seeing him coming Rylee pulled the long dagger that she kept hidden along her spine. It was effective as a small sword. She parried and was attacked by Thorin and seeing her opportunity she slapped him hard on the shoulder with her dagger, indicating his defeat to her hand. Fili was on her with both swords seconds later, again she kept him on his side of the tree, using both sword and dagger against his matching blades.

Thorin handed Kili his sword and motioned for him to join his brother. Rylee was better than he remembered, with both sword and dagger she was holding her own against both Fili and Kili, using the tree as part of her defense. It was hardly a fair match, but Rylee was used to battle situations where nothing was fair and there were no rules, Fili and Kili had only experienced the odd skirmish with Orcs, Wargs or bandits on the road. They were not yet battle tested.

"You trained her well," Dwalin said watching the maiden as she finally dispatched Fili with a hard slap with the sword to the ribs. He would have a bruise from the hard hit. Rylee was sweating heavily and breathing hard, and yet she fought as though her life depended on it. Kili was giving her no quarter and Rylee's eyes sparkled with life. It was obvious that she was enjoying being in the throes of battle.

"She loves to fight. Weapons and fighting have always been her favorite things," Thorin said as Fili approached them. Thorin leaned down and grabbed a couple of apples from Mikhaul's satchel, he handed one to Fili and motioned for him to go right as he went left. Thorin threw his apple at her. Rylee knocked back Kili's attack and twisted away to slice the apple in half, before spinning back to Kili, her dagger swooping in for a slap to his chest. He blocked her and she lost the dagger. The entire company heard her enraged growl at the loss.

She saw the second apple coming at her at the same time as Kili struck at her. It was coming at her face, and Kili was giving her no leeway to work with. She one handed the sword, barely blocking his attack as she snagged the apple out of the air with her free hand and snarled at Kili. Thrusting hard, she pushed him back, creating space between them and just enough time to throw the apple back at an unsuspecting Fili, hitting him in the chest.

"Ouch! That hurt wench!" Fili yelled at her.

Rylee didn't answer, Kili was on the attack again, and she saw Thorin sneaking in from the left. She caught the edge of Kili's sword and twisted her wrist, finally disarming him. Seconds later another apple hit her wrist hard. Rylee yelped and dropped the sword as Thorin tackled his student to the ground and tried to pin her. She continued to fight just as he taught her, her fist clipped his jaw snapping his head to the side. He mentally shook off the hit and pulled his dagger settling it against her throat, she went perfectly still. Barely even allowing herself breath.

"You fight different here." She gasped looking up at her teacher.

"As do you," Thorin said as he stowed his dagger and helped her to her feet. "You are more aggressive than you used to be, and you see more."

"Battle experience, removes the blinders." Rylee nodded, as she gasped for breath. She heard the whistle of something incoming, a rock. Fili threw a rock. She grabbed it out of the air and threw it back, hitting him in the belly. Her aim was off, she was trying for his chest. He yelped in pain and surprise and stared at her in horror. "He should not throw things at me unless he wants them thrown back."

Thorin laughed at this, she and Mahal used to throw things at each other in practice, just to keep each other on their toes. Rylee had excellent hearing and could detect objects incoming, which was why he and Dwalin planned a multiple attack using Thorin as a distraction.

"That one apple led to my defeat, now I have to figure out how to widen my scope without losing concentration." Rylee mumbled more to herself than anyone else. She was running the battle through her mind, trying to find the point where she narrowed her scope, excluding outside threats.

"How did you do that?" Kili asked her after he caught his breath.

"What?" Rylee asked jolted out of her thoughts, she did a lot, so she was not sure what he was referencing.

"How did you know Fili threw the rock," Kili asked, studying her face.

"I heard it," Rylee said as she brushed herself off.

"But you missed the apple," Kili said, it was almost an accusation.

"I was concentrating on you, Fili and Thorin. I was not expecting Dwalin to throw another apple, I narrowed my focus too much," Rylee rolled her shoulders, stretching out the muscles. "Lucky for me, I was at the battlefront yesterday so I am still in a war mindset, otherwise I would have been much slower and that would have been a short practice. There are flaws in every battle, the point of practice is to figure out weaknesses."

"Do you have any weaknesses?" Fili asked as he approached rubbing his abs.

"Of course! Not that I would tell you what they are," Rylee winked at him and laughed when he pulled a face. She leaned forward to stretch her hamstrings and spied Fili's throwing axes. She dropped to a crouch and looked up at him, "May I?"

"Um, sure?" Fili shrugged, then chuckled as he watched her face light up like he was giving her a gift.

She flipped their catches and pulled them away from his ankle, stood and examined them carefully studying their weight. They were square headed, but instead of the blade being parallel with the handle the head sat diamond like on the top of the handle. The center of the axe head was cut out to help with counter balance. The runes and markings on the head and handle were wonderfully unique. She tested their weight and balance, tossing them one at a time into the air to catch them in her hands. She handed them back with a delighted smile, "So lovely, well balanced, if you know how to throw them, they are wonderful weapons Fili."

"Thank you, Rylee," Fili grinned as he took them from her, he also didn't miss the scowl that Kili was giving him. His brother was jealous that he wasn't the center of Rylee's attention. Fili couldn't help but ask, "Would you like to practice with me? Throwing I mean? We can take turns."

Rylee was about to answer when Dwalin held her long dagger out to her. Rylee took it and checked the blade for damage before securing it back in its hidden scabbard along her spine. "Nice hit with the apple Dwalin, I was not at all expecting it. Seems I have some work to do."

"Aye, you narrowed your focus," Dwalin agreed looking at Fili as he waited for Rylee to answer his question. He looked at Fili's throwing axes and looked back at her face, "You any good with throwing knives and axes?"

"Aye, Fili and I are going to take turns throwing." Rylee nodded up at the tall bald dwarf.

"Good, you all need some practice," Dwalin called out to the company, anyone not on watch was gathered in the glade. "Get on it!"

"So what's our target, Fili?" Rylee asked, she was always ready for practice, it kept her ready in case she needed to fight.

"That tree there," Dwalin answered her instead, pointing to an old gnarled tree in the center of the field. His tone of voice offered her a challenge, "You think you can hit it from here?"

Rylee bent and threaded her fingers through the eyes of her throwing knives and pulled three blades from the scabbards she wore on each ankle. She took her stance and started to throw, she landed her first knife at the base of the tree, the next was just a fraction of an inch above it and so on until she threw her last blade. "From the looks of it yes, I can hit the tree from here, Dwalin."

"Don't get cheeky lass," Dwalin reprimanded her with a dark glower.

"Sorry, bad habit I picked up from Mahal," Rylee grinned back, a vicious glint in her eyes.

Then she bent and grabbed the six smaller blades from each ankle, twelve in total.

"You have more?" Fili asked in surprise. As he admired the black iron blades she held in her hands, he acknowledged that her throwing knives were not made of mithril. There would be no point to using such a valuable metal on weaponry that was ultimately disposable in the heat of battle. Regardless, they were as well made as the other weapons that she wore.

"Aye, these smaller ones are mixed. Some are blade weighted and others are handle weighted. Keeps it interesting." Rylee nodded as she started to throw the smaller blades, with her other hand. She was creating a pattern up the tree, when she was done with her small knives they looked like the tree was wearing a plaited metal blade.

Kili was working with Thorin and Dwalin on archery, try as he might he could not quite ignore Fili and Rylee as they practiced with the throwing knives. For the first time since leaving Ered Luin, he wished that he brought his knives, so they could practice together. One of his arrows missed the target and he scowled pulling his attention back to what he was supposed to be doing.

Rylee was about to collect her knives when Fili handed her his axes, she met his eyes in surprise, "Really?"

"As long as I can use your knives?" Fili nodded as he asked the question.

"Of course!" Rylee smiled at the blonde prince, she took one axe in each hand and aimed at the tree. Then she let them fly releasing them in unison, topping off her design in the tree. She studied for a moment looking at the pattern, "Left hand is a bit weak, especially the top left axe."

"What?" Fili asked looking at the nearly perfect design.

"The apple bruised my wrist, my aim is a little weak, and so is my throw. That's why they are so far off the mark. They should all be a fraction higher and a little to the left." Rylee said, shaking her head, she was not pleased at all with her throws. She gathered the knives and the axes and brought them all back for Fili to use. Once he got through his turn they split the weapons between them and traded off throw for throw so it would speed up the process.

Kili watched as Fili and Rylee started showing each other their best trick shots. They were equally skilled and yet they were still teaching each other new tricks and techniques to better their aim and their weight. They certainly seemed to get along quite well. Kili missed his target again and began to swear. He could not afford this distraction. His Uncle was going to have a heyday if he didn't smarten up. His next shot was perfect.

They practiced until twilight, when Thorin told the Company, "That's enough for tonight, we will be back on the road by dawn."

Fili grabbed his axes and looked at all the knives that Rylee had to gather, "I can help gather them up if you like."

"That's fine, Fili," Rylee shook her head. "I want to clean them really well before I put them away, it may take me a bit of time. You go ahead."

"If you are sure," Fili asked, just wanting to be certain. He really liked Rylee. She was smart, understood her weaponry and was willing to share information about techniques and tricks that she picked up along the way.

"Go, find your bed, I will be fine." Rylee said pulling out her blades. Fili shook his head and walked back to camp.

She ran her fingers over the edges. Mikhaul arrived with her oil cloth and Rylee began to work the metal until it shone. Sorting them into groups as she gathered them up, Rylee separated the blades into piles of threes on the ground as she finished with them. Rylee picked up each set and one by one she placed them back into their slots in the scabbard at her ankle. She was about to pick up the last pile, when something tickled across the top of her hand. She looked down and saw the eight legged, eight eyed, hairy, coin sized spider as it moved across her flesh. Her heart stopped, her eyes widened, chills ran over her body and she shrieked. She flicked it off and scrambled away. She stopped and curled into a little ball, whimpering at the irrational fear that was crawling through her body.

"Rylee? Are you okay?" Kili came up behind her, looking at her as she held her knees tightly to her chest. "What was it?"

"Oh!" She whimpered in mortification. Of all things to be terrified of she was afraid of spiders. It wasn't even a big one. She knew they could get much, much bigger, but all spiders, even tiny ones terrified her, "Nothing. It was nothing."

She stood and brushed herself off, picked up the last pile of blades and checked them for the vile arachnids. She placed them into her scabbard and walked back to where Kili was waiting. She moved to brush past him, but he caught her wrist and held her in place.

"Hold still you have a spider on your shoulder." He watched as her eyes went wide, his fingers swept the creature off of her shoulder, and she flinched. She was shaking like a leaf, and holding her breath, "You are afraid of spiders?"

She met his eyes, and a heated flush swept across her cheeks. He chuckled when she squeaked her response, "Aye?"

Kili laughed and took her hand, pulling her with him towards camp. "Anything else I should know of?"

"Death. Spiders and heights and death, what else is there to be scared of?" Rylee rolled her eyes at him. She just hoped that no one else heard her shriek of fear and came to investigate.

"So spiders, huh?" Fili said from where he was standing, watching the couple. He began to laugh as he saw the look of horror cross Rylee's unmasked face. She looked absolutely mortified as she spied no less than eight other faces looking at her in various stages of mirth. Thorin and Dwalin among them. "Is it the eight hairy legs, or the webs? Perhaps it is all those eyes?"

"Ah! The Valar take you all!" She glared at them, clenched her fists and stormed off back to the camp. Mikhaul flashed an image of a spider into her head making Rylee flinch. "Aye, Mikhaul, it was a spider."

The horse snorted in mirth and Rylee shot her a glare, "Not you too! Go to sleep you traitor."

Mikhaul stood and moved in front of Rylee, stopping her in her path. Then she lowered her great head in apology. "I am sorry my dearest friend, that was wrong of me. Your fear is valid and understandable. Can you forgive this ancient mare for her lapse?"

"Ancient mare indeed, you no longer age, Mikhaul," Rylee admonished her as she shook off the images of the spider. Still the chill remained as she thought of the rising darkness. Could it be Ungoliant, or someone much, much darker? No, it could not be him. He was to be punished by the Valar.

"You are right Rylee, I do not age," Mikhaul whickered gently, she put her head over Rylee's shoulder and hooked her into a hug, "but I do feel sorry for making fun of such a terror. I love you little sister. Forgive me?"

"Are you sure that you are the older one?" Rylee snorted hugging the massive black horse, "Fine, I will forgive you big sister, but I will get you back for this someday."

"Oh, I know you will, Rylee," Mikhaul snuffled, rubbing her velvet nose against Rylee's cheek.

Rylee grabbed her small pot for water and set it up to boil, grabbed her cup and began to add the flowers, seeds and herbs for her moon tea.

"I thought you said you could not cook," Dwalin said coming up behind her; she flinched at the intrusion and shot him a dark look. He watched as the flames rose higher in the pit than before, and as she moved slightly away the flames dropped back to normal.

"I am not cooking, I am making moon tea," Rylee told him softly, her voice was low and Dwalin almost didn't hear her. His eyebrows shot up. Moon tea would keep her monthly flow at bay, so it would keep predators off their trail. This was a very public, yet private discussion; he inwardly winced at his error. "Boiling water is easy enough, everything else, don't ask."

Once her tea was ready she drank it quickly, cleaned her cup and the water pot and packed everything away. Then she returned to her bedroll and climbed in. She ignored everyone else, not interested in being harassed about the spider any more than she had to.

Sleep took her swiftly and the dreams swept her away. Elves and Dwarves in battle with Orcs and Wargs and dragons and massive spiders. The images of her memories tore through her mind, battles that she fought in, coming to her mind. The friends and comrades that were lost in battle flashed before her eyes. The past and the present began to merge within the dreams, combining the faces of Thorin's Company among the dead. At some point or another every member died. Over and over again through the night. Every image was projected in front of one singular fiery watchful eye.

"No!" She gasped awake as Thorin's image on the field of death flashed into her mind, she curled in on herself and clenched her eyes shut. She struggled to clear her mind, willing the images in her mind to go away. There were still hours of night left, but the vividness of death in her dreams would not let her sleep any more.

She sat up and was confronted with two large carved wooden arachnids, she yelped and jerked back into her bedroll. She looked at them for a long moment waiting for them to move, for her heart to stop racing, "Mahal! Help me find peace!"

She scooted to the side, leaving the wooden monstrosities where they were, ignoring the chuckles of Bofur, Bifur and Gloin as they watched her reaction. Finally she looked up at them and shot them a glare, "How many hours did it take to put those together?"

"Oh a few hours to be sure, but your reaction was worth it," Bofur grinned at her.

"Oh, I am sure it was highly amusing, get some sleep," Rylee rolled her eyes and shook her head. She ignored the horrible puppets and stared into the embers of the fire, wrapping her mind around her horrible dreams. Finally she got up, knowing that there was no way that sleep was going to return to her. She rolled up her bedroll and put it with her bags. Then she picked up several apples and put them into a small satchel, and grabbed her whip. "Mikhaul, I am going to practice. I will be back before dawn."

She set out to the clearing that they used for practice the night before. Taking off her heavy leather tunic and mithril chainmail so that only her thin dark grey tunic was covering her underclothes, she stretched her muscles and prepared for her training. She set the apples up as targets, she found some sturdy sticks and fallen posts that she could place in her circle and herself in the center. She took a war stance and drew a breath, with a flick of her wrist the whip flashed out slicing one of the apples in half on top of a tall post. The top half of the fruit was just slightly displaced from the bottom but it did not fall. Another flick at a lower apple resulted in the same. Twice more she flicked her whip, spinning as though the targets were enemies coming from any direction. A full arm throw, the snap of her wrist, triggering the blades, one of her posts toppled into two pieces, torn asunder by the blades.

Kili could not help but be drawn closer to her as he was watching over the camp and soon his gaze was riveted to her. It was a dance, a meditation, the flick, the coil of the light metal and the snap as the tip hit the target. Thorin joined her in the clearing as well as Dwalin. Thorin picked up one of the halved apples and heaved it into the air. Its split form wobbling in the air, she spun towards the new target and snapped it into quarters. She didn't miss a beat as Dwalin did the same, throwing the halved apples into the air above her. Both Dwarves kept finding things for her to aim at. She missed a few, at which point they started mocking her.

"What's wrong Rylee, it is moving too fast?" Thorin teased her once.

"Is it too small for you to see, Rylee?" Dwalin teased another time. He threw a stone that was even smaller and she hit it with precision, sending the rock into a large tree, embedding the sudden projectile deeply within the layers of bark.

She didn't stop until she was out of breath and covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Kili watched from his spot where he was keeping watch over the camp, the dampness of her skin made her tunic cling to her form and he could barely keep his eyes from her. She was small, yet curvaceous in all the right places. Strong and muscular and yet fine boned and lean at the same time. It was like the Valar picked a form that was perfectly balanced and blessed her with it. He envied his uncle at that moment, being able to help her train. She was a dancer with the whip.

"That is enough, Rylee, we need to be on the road soon," Thorin told her slapping his hand on her shoulder, leading her toward the camp. Mikhaul searched out the apple pieces, knowing that Rylee specifically used that fruit for her benefit. "I had my doubts about using a whip in a battle, but you make it look easy."

"Are there any weapons you cannot use, lass?" Dwalin asked as he handed over her mail and leather tunic, and she pulled each one over her head, and settled them into place.

"I can use everything but a bow," She replied quietly, she glanced up at Kili where he was perched watching over the camp. He stood tall, and she could not help but admire his lean frame. Strong muscular legs, trim hips, wide chest and shoulders, perfection in her eyes. She looked back at Dwalin, forcing herself to finish her conversation, "I make weapons, so I test them as well."

The rest of the company was already gathered around the fire for breakfast talking loudly and entertaining themselves. Rylee ignored their banter and found a place to sit and eat her breakfast. The only spot available was taken by the pair of wooden spiders. She looked at her bowl, looked at the spiders, then back at her bowl. She took a deep breath, bent and pulled out six of her throwing knives and one steady handed throw at a time made kindling out of the wretched puppets. She looked at her handiwork and smirked, "Hmm, the only good spider is a dead one."

"I don't think she appreciated the craftsmanship of those ones Bifur, perhaps we should make her another pair?" Bofur cracked with a chuckle as he watched her last blade crack the larger spider down the middle.

"Go right ahead, Bofur, I am always up for target practice," Rylee said as she retrieved her blades from the wreckage, then she took her seat and ate her breakfast. Once she was finished she put away her things, and strapped everything on to Mikhaul who showed up just as she was ready to load her up. There was never any need to whistle or call, Mikhaul just knew when she was wanted or needed. It was the way it was.


	6. Riverside Repartee

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 6

Riverside Repartee

May 2

They were on their way once again, up on their horses and picking their way over the paths leading further and further away from the Shire. Her dreams were of the same Fiery eye that left her feeling cold and bereft, wary and off center, followed by scene after scene of deaths of warriors both present and past. She felt like she was being hunted, stalked, watched and it was wearing on her. Each day Rylee and Mikhaul would leave the group, sensing dangers along the road, the feeling of being hunted was never far behind them. So each day they became the hunters; three more wargs, two Orcs, a wolf and a werewolf over the course of three days. Rylee thought that things were getting well out of hand.

Thorin could see exactly what was happening, every day he told her to stay close, and every bloody day she and Mikhaul would run off and come back smelling of battle and blood. Rylee's defiance was weighing heavily on him, especially when Fili and Kili were expressing desire to follow her into the wild. Fili because he was curious as to what this War Maiden was up to and Kili because he didn't like how she came back to camp each night exhausted. He was at a loss as to what to do with the girl, she was much too wild, and defiant. Gandalf continually reminded him that she was on a quest of her own, and that whatever she was doing must have something to do with it. Thorin bit his tongue and said nothing, but that didn't mean he liked it. He had told her to do as she liked, and now he was eating his words.

Days passed, three to be exact, and Rylee was already feeling the wear of the road. She joined up with the group when they chose their camp, just as she had for the days before. As soon as they made camp for the night she grabbed her pack and told Mikhaul that she needed alone time. She really did. She was grimy, and sweaty, things were beginning to itch in places where they should not. She needed a bath.

On top of that the fire was calling to her, and she could not share her magic with the others. Though all dwarves were filled with the magic of their crafts, and could do great enchantments of their own, her magic was different. The Valar thought that her magic was simple blood magic, and so trained her to use it as such, but during her first life she found that it went far beyond blood magic. It was borne of her blood, her soul and her essence. To use it she needed three things, blood, fire and song. Her songs were not sung in Khuzdul, she used her own language and imbued her weapons with the essence of fire and blood. Unlike typical Dwarven enchantments, her magic came with a price.

She learned in her first life in Middle-Earth that she had the power to create pure fire, or she could give in to darkness and become the next Ungoliant. The whole idea of it terrified her. The only person ever capable of teaching her to use it properly was long gone. Her magic was basically untapped and untrained, the only portion of it she could use with control was the power over fire and forging. It was during this process that she could gain clarity and cleanse her spirit and dispel the darkness that was building inside of her. With the dark beasts that were hunting her, she knew that she needed to cleanse her spirit and soon. Rylee set up her bedroll in camp and prepared her personal pack gathering what she needed.

She made her way quickly downstream from the camp intending to bathe. She looked for an ideal spot that would offer her privacy and would be defensible if someone showed up. Finding a pretty little spot just below a waterfall, she scouted for a few minutes to make sure that there was no one close by. She sensed nothing, she saw no danger. Then she made a small fire pit using a rock and piled a few large logs into it and set her palm underneath, finding her spark, a fire shot up from her palm and into the wood, instantly igniting the kindling she set.

She tended the fire, so she could dry her clothes after she was done washing them. If she caught a fish or two she would be able to heat them up. The thought made her stomach turn, they always burned on the outside and were raw on the inside. Not great fare, but it would be better than nothing. Her pears were long gone, and the few apples that were left were for Mikhaul. It was not like she could just send Mikhaul to Yavanna whenever she felt like it for more fruits. It would cause arguments between Yavanna and Nienna, and no one needed that, there would be no more fights between the two Ainu caused by her. Though Bombur was saving her a bowl of food, she felt guilty taking the rations of the Company, especially since Bombur continually insisted that she should take a larger portion than the others. Thankfully Kili and Fili were helpful enough to ensure the rest did not go to waste.

Her plan was to work through her need to use her magic and the desire to create and then have a bath. She searched through her pack and her kit was missing. Where could she have put it? It was here! Was it not? Did she take it out back at the camp when she set up her bedroll? She put it aside specifically to take with her, so why was it not here? Where was it? She sat back in disappointment then shook her head. She would have to find her kit, and find another time to ease the need to create. Without her metal working kit, she couldn't forge, she couldn't finish the dagger, nor could she release the pent up energy and find clarification in her dreams. She needed to forge in order to cleanse the negativity from her mind.

Frustrated, Rylee finished setting up her camp, preparing her towel and her soap and she pulled out a small parchment envelope filled with a multitude of seeds. The soap was a gift from Yavanna, it was specially made just for Rylee. It never dried up, never became smaller, and made the user smell like their favorite scents. For Rylee the soap smelled like Roses, Honeysuckle and Lilacs. It was the last gift she ever received from Yavanna, just less than fifty years ago for her twenty third birthday.

Rylee felt she was to blame for the order from Eru to sever all ties to the Valar. If she had listened and stayed home like she was told to, she never would have been injured, and the two Ainu would never have fought. When Rylee first came to Middle-Earth she made a promise to herself that she would find a way to make it up to her mothers'. Each life Mikhaul would bring her an envelope filled with seeds from Yavanna's green house, picked by Mahal. Every time Rylee took a bath she would plant a seed, not once did she miss the chance to dig her fingers into the soil, choose a seed and cover it so it would grow.

Every time she planted a seed she would whisper to it, "With the fertile energy of Yavanna, the tears of Nienna, and all the love in my heart, grow strong, grow healthy, and be blessed." As she did, she cried, shedding tears onto the small seed and patted the soil down on top. She didn't know if either Ainu knew of her apology to them, but it was the only way Rylee knew to make it up to them. Rylee always did love the feel of dirt under her finger nails and digging for worms.

After planting one of the seeds in the rich soil by the river, and finding a couple of blood worms while she was at it, Rylee stripped off, took the main clip out of her hair, and jumped into the cold river water. She wore only her mithril crown, her rose necklace and the ankle scabbards that secured her throwing knives. She never took them off when traveling, even in well-travelled parts like this, one could find trouble. One could never be too careful.

She swam for a bit, opening her eyes under the water, watching the fish. She grabbed her fishing hooks and the blood worms that she found earlier, plus a water beetle that just happened to be hovering too close. Within the hour she had three large trout secured on a line a little further upstream. She jumped back into the cool rushing water, when she resurfaced she sighed in contentment, reaching for her soap bar. She scrubbed herself until her skin was nearly raw, and used the soap in her hair and on her scalp, then rinsed the suds and grime away. Finally feeling clean again she waded to the river bank and cleaned and scrubbed her clothes, leaving them to dry by the fire. She wrapped her bath sheet around her body and dried herself off.

She was about to pull out the fresh change of clothes that Mikhaul had in her pack when she heard a branch snap to her left. A man came out of the bush. He had a knife in his hand and was looking at her with a sickening leer. Everything about him screamed bandit.

"Hello girlie, what are you doing out here all by yourself?" He asked, looking at her in her long towel. She was completely covered, so he didn't see her reach for her throwing blades. She pulled her fingers slowly up the handles, hooking her fingers into the cut outs that were forged into them. Three in each hand she pulled them out then transferred them to one hand so she could concentrate on throwing if she had to. Keeping her movements to a minimum.

"Who says I am alone?" She asked cautiously, listening for other movements. Leaves ruffling to her right, something big, she would guess another human male. There was more noise off to the left, whoever these men were they were not exactly trying to conceal themselves.

"I can see that you are alone, and really such a pretty little morsel like yourself should not be traveling alone in the woods." The man stepped closer. She stood and stepped back.

"I would not come closer if I were you," Rylee warned, her voice hard and steely, "A woman does not travel alone unless she is capable of caring for herself."

"You are naked under that sheet, your weapons are stowed beside the fire," The man said with an arrogant smirk, he could see her axes and bow propped with her satchel; her coiled whip was hidden underneath. "You have no defense against me, and I have been without a woman for a long time. I will take what I want."

* * *

><p>Camp was being prepped, Kili and Fili were out hunting, the fire was started, Bombur was preparing vegetables for the stew, Bilbo was helping him out. Bofur and Bifur were taking care of the ponies, Oin and Gloin were gathering wood for the night, Balin and Dwalin were digging a pit for a latrine further away from the camp. Things were going smoothly. Thorin looked around to see if there was anything more that needed to be done. Dori and Nori were sitting around the fire, resting up before they took first watch. Ori wandered into camp from talking with Bofur and Bifur, "Bofur wants to know where Rylee is, Mikhaul is concerned, and she isn't back yet."<p>

"Bloody hell! Didn't they just return? Back from what? She didn't say she was leaving," Thorin said looking around the camp, sure enough the lass was nowhere to be seen. She never said where she was going, just came and went without a word. Why would she just go off on her own? His heart nearly stopped dead as he considered all the things that could happen to a maid while out on the road. Her appearance at the end of each day left the entire company worried, showing up blood spattered and roughed up.

"I saw her set up her bedroll, and grab her black satchel earlier," Bilbo offered looking up from cutting up the potatoes for Bombur. "She seemed to be in a hurry."

Bifur came in to camp signing and grunting in Khuzdul that, "She left for 'Alone time' when we first arrived."

They made camp a couple hours before and the sun would be setting in less than a half hour. Fili and Kili both wandered in carrying a clutch of rabbits, skinned and ready for Bombur to cook up. "Kili, Fili have you seen Rylee?"

"Not since we left to hunt," Fili said looking over at Kili.

Kili too shook his head, a frown marring his face, "she was unpacking Mikhaul when we left."

"Gandalf, have you seen Rylee?" Thorin asked the wizard as he wandered into camp and lit his ever present pipe. This was becoming worrisome; none of the Dwarves had seen her since their arrival in camp.

"No, but knowing her, she will be back sooner than later." Gandalf said, he was a little concerned, but Rylee was severely independent. Any time he interfered with her concerns she was quick to put an end to it. The fiery girl made things interesting enough without his help. Already she had most of the Company's admiration and concern. "She is spending more time hunting than she ever has before. Something is up."

"If she is always hunting, why doesn't she ever bring back any game?" Bilbo asked the company, they all shared a confused look, they too wanted to know the answer to that.

"Did Mikhaul say which direction she went?" Thorin asked Bifur, ignoring Bilbo's question, the wounded man indicated that she went downstream from the camp. No one needed to know what Rylee was hunting, he shared a knowing look with Gandalf as they both agreed to silence on the matter.

"Kili, go look for her, make sure she is back here before sunset." Thorin ordered his nephew. Kili didn't argue he just picked up his recently discarded weapons and headed in the direction Mikhaul indicated.

"What the hell is wrong with her? She should not be wandering off." Thorin growled at Gandalf, he was the only one who really understood her, having spent time with her. "This might not be the wild lands, but they are not safe for a woman alone."

"She obviously does not see herself as part of the company, Thorin," Gandalf said knowingly, she invited herself on the quest, so she would not see herself as part of the group. "Regardless of the fact that she was once your student, she is a War Maiden. She is quite capable of caring for herself. She has a quest of her own and will conduct herself as she sees fit."

"Of course she is part of the company!" Dori exclaimed from beside the fire. "What would give her the impression that she were not?"

"It would explain why she always eats last," Bombur said softly with a worried look, "She waits for everyone else to eat. I have taken to saving her a bowl. She is too tiny."

"What do you mean she eats last? She provides half the fare!" Thorin was becoming surly.

"That's what I told her," Bofur said coming into camp, Mikhaul following close behind him, "She argued with me and said that the vegetables would go bad otherwise, there are too many for her alone."

Bifur grunted in Khuzdul and gestured to his cousin and Bofur shook his head with a grin, "No Bifur, I don't think that she was put off by teasing her about the spiders."

"Aye," Gloin said with a chuckle, as he thought of the fake wooden spiders that Bifur and Bofur fashioned and left for her to find upon waking, "She took that pretty well actually."

"Perhaps we should ask her to be part of the company." Oin said looking at Thorin thoughtfully, "It might make the lass more comfortable. Less guarded? Mahal knows she has been alone long enough, she needs to be taken care of."

"Do you think that's why she is so standoffish?" Nori asked with curiosity. "Or do you think it's because she was not allowed to have attachments with the Valar?"

Thorin looked oddly at Nori, his brow furrowed. "Rylee is allowed to have attachments to the Valar, they all love her dearly. Now that she is in Middle-Earth she has no reason to stay detached."

"But she said that she was allowed no attachments!" Nori argued, "She was quite adamant about it."

"That was once true, but now that she is in Middle-Earth she is allowed to create whatever attachments she wants," Thorin stopped and thought about it for a moment. "She just cannot communicate with the Valar unless it is through Mikhaul."

"So what do we do for her now?" Bilbo asked quietly, "There are fifteen of us surely she should not still feel so alone?"

"That's just it Bilbo," Fili said looking over at the hobbit, "she has been keeping her distance from us for days, she doesn't ride with us, she sleeps on the outskirts of the camp, she eats last. She is trying to keep herself from becoming attached."

"Should I write up a contract for her?" Balin asked looking at Thorin for direction on the matter. Thorin shook his head in response; Rylee would only be insulted by a contract. She hated contracts in all forms.

"No brother, I don't think she needs a contract," Dwalin said from beside the fire, where he was sharpening his knives. "She already figures she is going to die."

"What makes you say that?" Ori asked with more than a little shock.

"She offered her services as a dragon slayer," Dwalin said looking at the scribe, "It goes without saying."

"It is a dangerous line of work," Fili said thoughtfully, looking at his uncle, "She has already died thrice and would not want to make attachments if she expects to die again."

"That does sound like Rylee," Gandalf said looking at Fili with a smile, "She has five people she calls friends left in Middle-Earth, besides myself, all of whom she tried pushing away at one time or another."

"That's no way to live a life," Bofur said with a hard frown.

Thorin's eyes snapped up to the toymakers face. It was true, even he as a leader, a king, he had close friends, family. She had no one, for almost fifty years she pushed everyone out of her life. Gandalf said she had five friends, and they were obviously of Elvish descent or they too would be long dead. Thorin looked at the group gathered around the fire and asked, "I will ask her to join the company, but that will not keep her from staying detached. So what are you going to do about it?"

* * *

><p>Kili tracked her down the river. It took him a while before he could pick up anything that would indicate a clear trail. She was quite good at covering her tracks. He wondered what she was getting up to this time. For three days in a row, she disappeared from the group, her and her great horse running off to do whatever it was they did together. Today they left just after breaking camp, running far ahead of the company and when they rejoined them it was right before they made camp for the night, and they joined them from the rear. She was even grimier and blood covered than the previous days, and she smelled like some sort of mangy dog. He could not believe the stench that she carried when she rode up on Mikhaul that evening.<p>

Her conduct bothered Kili greatly. He was almost relieved when she left during the day, because when she stayed with the group he couldn't concentrate on anything but her. Yet the moment he saw her disappear he wanted her to come back. He wanted her to be safe, and her escapades were likely going to lead to either grave injury or death. It was like she had a death wish. He could not stand the thought of her being hurt, in any way.

Every night she haunted his dreams and left him aching for her. He remembered her as she landed in his lap at the Hobbit Hole, and those few seconds her hands tangled in his hair. Fili corralling her into his arms before the fire, Kili just could not shake the memory of the feel of her body against his, and her hands on his shoulders. He wanted her back in his lap like he had her the first night on the road, he wanted her in his arms. She was driving him to distraction and he could not afford that.

Once Kili picked up her trail it was easy to track her through the thick forest, she was following an old animal track that wove along the river. His guess was that she was looking for a private place to clean up. That thought both excited him and tormented him. What he found when he found her left him stunned and more than a little angry.

She was just below a small water fall, where the narrow canyon below created a small deep pool of water, kneeling by a small fire wrapped in a large thin bath sheet. Other than a small mound covered in white, he could see only her head. Her long wet hair was contained under the sheet as well as her obviously naked body. She was looking up at a man who came out of the bushes to her left. He was making advances towards her.

He could detect movement under the sheet as she prepared to flee, her body stiffening. She spoke, her voice made the hairs on his arms rise. "I have warned you once, take another step and it will be your last."

The man laughed at her, "How exactly do you think you are going to stop me, weaponless as you are."

"Who said I was weaponless?" She countered darkly, she stood and dropped the towel, revealing the throwing knives in her hands, as well as everything else. Kili blinked. The only thing covering her was her hair. The man launched himself at her, not giving her a chance to throw, but she tucked low and flipped the massive man over her shoulder. She turned on him with a snarl and slashed at him as he rolled up and came at her again. The knife sunk deep into his throat and slashed through, blood sprayed over her and the man fell away.

There was movement to the right, Kili raised his bow and took aim as a second man emerged from the brush. His arrow hit the attacker's heart seconds after Rylee's knife was embedded in his throat, the man was already falling away. Kili had a perfect view of her perfectly rounded bottom and her scarred back. His heart stopped as he noticed the three pale jagged scars that ran parallel in a diagonal from her right shoulder down to her left hip. From the look of them they were old wounds, long healed, but he wondered where she got them. What could have done such damage?

In his shock he was late noticing the movement in the brushes to the left and Kili watched as the knife Rylee had already prepared embedded itself into the third man's heart. She spun toward him, another knife at the ready. She met his eyes and pulled back just as she was about to release, the sharp knife slicing into her arm, yelping in pain. Her eyes grew wide and she spun away. "Kili! What are you doing here? I could have killed you!"

"What are you doing, out here alone?" Kili yelled back as he watched her walk to the edge of the water, she seemed completely unconcerned with her nudity. Kili couldn't believe what he was seeing. Her skin was mottled in red welts and black and purple bruises. Her shoulders, legs, and arms were riddled with the evidence of recent battles.

"Taking a bloody bath! Not that it should matter to you!" Rylee raged as she turned to the water. She needed to clean the bandit's blood away. She needed to clean her wound. There was a snap of a stick behind her and she spun as two more bandits ran at her from the brush.

Kili barely had time to draw another arrow before Rylee was captured in the filthy bandits' arms. One had her by the feet, the other had her arms pinned behind her back, her remaining blades dropped uselessly to the ground beneath her. Her blood dripped from the cut in her wrist onto the black metal on the ground as she struggled fiercely trying to free either her arms or her legs. Kili aimed at the one holding her feet. Rylee kicked the man in the chest, pushing him back enough to give Kili a clear target and he took the shot. The arrow penetrated the man's chest and he fell away. The other man moved to use Rylee as a shield as Kili drew another arrow.

She was so small in the man's arms, he held her up against his grimy black coat, a leer on his dirty face, his yellowed broken teeth hovered just inches above Rylee's ear. Kili wasn't sure what disturbed him more, the fact that the man was holding Rylee's naked body, or the fact that not once had Rylee screamed, protested or spoke. Rylee went perfectly still, she just freed one arm just enough to sign in Iglishmek that she was going to drop in three seconds. He counted it off and Rylee collapsed, pushing herself down her captor's body, suddenly leaving the man's torso open as a target, Kili didn't hesitate. The dead man fell on top of Rylee and she grunted in pain.

"How do I cross?" Kili asked in frustration. There was no answer and no movement from Rylee, "Rylee! How do I cross?"

"There is a trail over the waterfall," Rylee's muffled voice came as she shoved the body off of her. He found the trail she was talking about and started to make the steep climb to the top. Rylee climbed to her feet and walked to a massive boulder that hovered over the edge of the pool and dived into the deep water where it seemed the calmest.

Kili was trying hard not to stare at her, but the image of her glorious body was imprinted on his mind. Other than the heavy bruising she was even more perfect than he imagined her to be. He had to avert his eyes to give her some privacy, but could not stop from taking glances at her as she came up in the center of the pool, treading water. "The entire company is worried about you!"

She stopped and looked up at him, "Why?"

"What do you mean, why?" Kili shot her a glare. She was in the water, immersed right up to her neck, washing away the blood spray of the first man she killed. The blood from her wrist spilled down her pale flesh and tainted the water.

"Why would they worry? I can take care of myself," Rylee said, she sounded completely bewildered by his statement. "I am a War Maiden, not some housemaid."

Kili turned around in anger, and saw her swimming back to the bank, slowly rising out of the water. She was some sort of siren, her long dark hair clung to her body, revealing every curve. He could not stop staring, feeling his body respond quickly to the vision before him. He forced himself to turn away, desperate to find control.

"You were nearly attacked not five minutes ago." Kili reminded her. He heard the water behind him as it poured off of her as she waded out. To distract himself he pulled his arrows out of the last two men he killed, no point in wasting them if he didn't need to.

"Aye, and I would have taken care of it! I would have heard those last two if I wasn't distracted by you!" Rylee hollered at him. He heard a ripping sound, from behind him. Glancing over his shoulder he saw her rip a strip off of her towel and wrap it around her forearm. She was still naked, but she had the towel partially wrapped around her damp form. He turned away, waiting for her to dress. When she spoke again her voice was muffled. "Hey, can you cook fish? I caught a few while I was in there earlier. I have been keeping them on a string."

"You caught fish?" Her change in subject threw him off and Kili turned to look at her. She was in a pair of black leather breaches and a thin chemise that clung to her womanly form, he could see a deep vee of cleavage and her arms were bare. A black rose sat on her chest, the gem glittering in the dying daylight. He watched as she stood over the second dead man pulling out his arrow and her knife, she moved to the next and pulled out her knife, and then she went to clean them. He couldn't seem to stop staring at her as she approached him with his arrow, he took it in one hand and grabbed her injured wrist with the other, checking the bandage. Satisfied that the wound wasn't still bleeding heavily he released her wrist and dropped the arrow into its place in his quiver. He raised his other hand, touching the rose on her chest. "Beautiful."

"Thank you, Yavanna designed it and Mahal made it for me," Rylee said, reeling from the close contact, she reminded herself that she needed to keep a distance from Kili. Thorin was right. She would get hurt by this handsome Dwarf Prince. She was feeling all sorts of crazy emotions for him. Every touch thrilled her, every shared glance made her blush and smile. She was drawn to him, inexplicably and she needed to find a way to stop it. "But it is broken. A jewel is missing from the heart of it."

She took a step back from him and he caught her hand, pulling her against him. Her breath caught at her sudden captivity in Kili's arms. She looked up at him in surprise, his dark eyes burned with rage and his voice was low in anger, "How could you let them see you like that? You let them touch you! How could you make yourself so vulnerable?"

"What does it matter, Kili? They are dead now." Rylee asked startled, she tried to pull away and heard him groan in protest as his strong arms encircled her. Her left arm was wedged under his arm and her right hand gripped his shoulder. Then she felt his hardness against her belly, she went stock still, her heart thundering through her chest. Thrill and fear combined as she tried to figure out this sudden change in him, "Kili?"

"What are you doing to me, Rylee?" Kili whispered in her ear, his lips brushing against the soft shell, his voice caused shivers to run over her body. His hands were on her back, on her sides, her bottom, pulling her against him. Her entire body felt suddenly enflamed by his touch. She freed her left arm and her hands curled around his shoulders, holding on in case her shaking knees collapsed like they were threatening to do. "Three days and you are haunting me. To see you do that, to expose yourself like that. Don't you do that ever again, please Rylee."

She was stunned into silence. Her heart was hammering in her chest, fire was burning through her core. It felt like magic, this pull to him, she gasped as he clutched her to him, and she felt his chest pressed against hers. She bit her lip to stop the moan that rose through her throat as heat coiled tighter and tighter with her. A small needy sound escaped her as he ran his hands over her bottom, pulling her closer against him.

"Please, Rylee, I-," Kili said crushing her against him, she felt so good, he wanted her closer. She was biting her lip again and he fought against the desire to kiss her. What the hell was wrong with him? No woman ever made him feel so possessive, so needy of her attention. From that first night she favored him. She was the only dwarrowdam he ever met who brushed off Fili in favor for him. Holding her in his lap was all he could think about for the past few days, as he tried to devise ways to get her back in his arms again. Now he had her and he was at a loss as to what he wanted to do with her. He wanted to strangle her and hold her tighter for putting herself in such danger. "I don't want anyone else to see you like that. Promise me."

"Well, it's not like I planned it, Kili," Rylee gasped trying to move away, before she did something stupid. Like kiss him. But his arms were like a vice. She was pressed so tight against him that his lips brushed her ear, her lips brushed his throat. She could smell him, leather, tobacco, sunshine and him. She loved the way he smelled, the way he felt, how he was holding her. She needed to clear her head! "I did what I had to, to save myself, Kili."

"Promise me, Rylee," His voice was a commanding growl, it was a demand. He needed her to swear not to expose herself again. He could not stand the idea of sharing her with anyone. Mahal, the things he wanted to do to her, the ways he wanted to touch her. The idea of someone else touching her the way he wanted to, drove him nearly out of his mind. How she felt in his embrace, the way she was responding to his touches, the way she shivered against him. She was delightful and he wanted her.

She arched back to look him in the eye. Still he refused to release her, her heart was racing wildly in her chest, she needed distance from him. When he touched her all clear thought seemed to fade and she was struggling to keep her mind clear. She raised her hands, and hesitantly put her hands on his face. Her fingers brushing softly against his skin, caressing fingertips felt his soft stubble. Mahal help her, she loved his beard shorn like that. He met her eyes in surprise, she knew it was a forbidden touch but he didn't protest. Face touching indicated familiarity, family ties or intimacy. It was an act of courting between couples in the First Age; did it still have the same intimacy in the Third Age? Did she want to court him? Stupid question. She wanted everything from him. Rylee fought her desire to kiss him, instead she whispered, "I promise I will not expose myself to anyone else. Okay?"

He relaxed exponentially, but he did not release her, he enjoyed her touch and loved the way her body fit against his. Her hands on his face, she was so gentle, her fingertips caressing him as she was. If she was any other dwarrowdam he would have pushed her hands away, but he did not. Kili was trying to rationalize what he was doing. This was not like him. She was just a dwarrowdam, like all the others he met in Ered Luin, no one special. It was one hell of a lie, but he would use it. On top of that Thorin would kill him for daring to touch her. Would he though? How many times had Kili pulled Rylee into his arms, right in front of Thorin, and his uncle did not once protest? She was already claimed for courting! Damn it he hated that braid, he wanted it gone.

'Hell, she was just another member of the company,' he thought, but if he was honest to himself, he knew that she was more than that. He could not jeopardize the company because of his lust for a pretty lady. Deciding on his reasoning he looked her in the eye, "I know I should not make demands like that from you, but I cannot help it. You are part of our Company, if something happened to you, I would never forgive myself. Get dressed and let's go."

He released her and walked away, turning back to the trail head to wait for her. She wrapped her arms around herself feeling suddenly bereft. The abrupt change left her temporarily stunned and she actually felt physical pain for a moment. It was agony. It confused her completely, until she realized that he was giving her the distance she wanted. She wasn't sure what was going on between them, but there was no way she was going to argue. He gave her a way out of having to explain why she had to keep her distance from him. She really did, every time he touched her or even looked at her she was ready to follow him, give herself to him. She wanted him to take her and make her his in every possible way. She wanted a life with him. To deny this would be a lie. He terrified her; he alone had the power to tear her to pieces. The realization shook her to her core. He was her One.

"I am not part of the Company, I am on my own quest. I have my own tasks, and my own problems to take care of," Rylee said as she pulled on her boots, hiding the knife sheaths at her ankles. She gathered her scattered weapons, and put them away. He seemed impatient as she watched him from the corner of her eye, so she asked, "I take it you want to get back to camp quickly?"

"We are supposed to be back before sunset." Kili said quietly, the sun was already burning a red trail across the horizon. She dressed quickly in the second set of clothes Mikhaul had for her. Black leather with red beading along the fur trim, Kili watched as she wrapped her whip around her. The bright silver over the black was stunning. He wanted to take it off of her and lay her down on her towel. 'You cannot have her, she wears a courting braid!' Kili screamed inside his mind and mentally kicked himself.

"I don't think we are going to make it." Rylee said softly. She started gathering her things. Her clothes were nearly dry, so she folded them and put them into her satchel. "We can either cook the fish here before I put out the fire, or take them back to Bombur."

"What were you going to do with the fish? I thought you couldn't cook," Kili said as she pulled out a line with three fairly large trout.

"Well, I have tried cooking fish in the past, they never turn out really well, but they are still somewhat edible." Rylee said sardonically, "at least, I didn't die from eating them."

"I think we should take them to Bombur then," Kili chuckled, as he drenched her small fire. "You might as well enjoy the fish you caught rather than barely choke them down."

"Very funny, Kili," Rylee rolled her eyes at him as they walked away from the little camp.

"You did choose a really nice spot to bathe," Kili said as he looked down from the top of the waterfall. He was purposely trying to look anywhere but her. It was a peaceful spot, the water was clear, it was easily defensible and yet provided privacy.

"Until those curs showed up, at least," Rylee agreed. They were quiet as they started to walk back to camp.

"What are the bruises from?" Kili asked her suddenly, he wanted to know what she was doing these past few days, to make her so battered.

"Oh! Um, hunting," Rylee said keeping her voice as neutral as she possibly could. A bright blush spread from head to toe as she realized that he had seen her completely naked, and not just for a few seconds, but long enough to realize that she was heavily bruised from her recent battles.

"That's a lie. Do not lie to me, Rylee. What the hell could you be hunting that would do that to you?" Kili asked discarding her answer. He could not imagine what would do that to her body. "And what about the scars, where are they from?"

"Hunting, truly Kili, they are from hunting." Rylee said softly, she did not want an argument. She was fully aware that her odd behavior was bothering the others. She was a dwarrowdam and the Dwarves were protective of their females. What she did was far outside the scope of normal female dwarf behavior. "I don't hunt game, I hunt enemies, and I am just doing my job. Can we just leave it at that?"

"The scars?" Kili pressed, he said it gently. He heard how small her voice became when she spoke of it, but he needed to know.

"They are from my first hunt." She whispered sadly. Kili looked over at her and noticed that she was looking down at the ground, scuffing her feet against the forest floor, pushing a clump of dirt along with her toe. The subject was obviously one she wanted to avoid, which only made him more curious. She was carrying her gear and weapons over her shoulder, her fish on their string dangling from her hand and her hair was a completely tangled mess.

"You didn't comb your hair, it is badly tangled," Kili said looking at the long glossy waves, as they fell to frame her face. He was struck by how beautiful she was, he was usually attracted to woman with more facial hair, but her lack did nothing to lessen her beauty. Her thick dark silky waves more than made up for any lack and Kili had to curb the urge to touch it again. Hair touching was an intimate act, and it was one he wanted to engage in again with Rylee, but with her consent. He recalled her hands on his face and his heart sped up at the thought, gentle, loving hands on his face as she made him a promise.

"Oh! I forgot. Can you take these?" She handed him the string of fish. Once he had them in hand she pulled the clip out of her satchel, biting it between her teeth as she roughly combed her fingers through her thick hair. She separated each of the braids and he noticed that she lovingly touched all of the family and friendship braids for a moment before moving to the next one. Only the courting braid she left untouched. He wondered why. Why did she wear that double damned braid? With fingers deft and quick she soon had her hair back in place within the clip. He looked at the clip for a minute, admiring the black jewel within the bright red metal.

"Is that Onyx or Hematite?" Kili asked looking at the black stone that was embedded in the shining red metal.

"Black Diamond," Rylee said softly, "it is my favorite stone. I have several clips made out of it and red mithril."

"Red mithril? You said something about that before but there is no such thing," Kili scoffed rolling his eyes at her.

"Are you certain about that? This clip shines brighter than any other red metal, is that not a property of mithril?" Rylee laughed, shaking her head. Even in pale moonlight the red metal looked like it was afire. "Maybe someday I will show you how it is made."

"How is it made?" Kili asked, his curiosity getting to him after a few minutes of silence.

"Well, with blood and fire and magic, of course," Rylee said as they walked through the woods towards camp. She chuckled softly at the odd look that crossed Kili's face as he tried to comprehend what she was talking about.

"Blood magic is evil," Kili said, glowering at her, still trying to figure her out. As a daughter of the Valar it was expected that she would have differences from a normal dwarrowdam, but blood magic? That was a surprise. Perhaps that was why he felt this incessant need to keep her protected, the odd desire to claim her as his own. Maybe she was some sort of witch.

"Are you certain of that, Kili?" Rylee asked him as a reminder. "All dwarves use magic while in the throes of creation. My magic is different than theirs but no less beautiful."

"Aye we use magic, but it is pure and of a light nature, as is that of wizards and elves," Kili growled at her, he was certain that he was under some sort of spell or enchantment. It was the only reason he could think of, for why she affected him like she did. Mahal he wanted to take her. Make her his. "Any other magic is black magic, evil and vile. Blood magic is the worst kind."

"It is not evil, you just don't understand it. Mahal and Eru use blood magic and neither of them are evil." Rylee shot him a stunned glare, then she went on to clarify, "I was made by them to help fight dragons after all. I am both Dwarf and Elf, remember, and both races use magic. Can I help that my magic is in my very blood, in my essence and in my soul?"

"So you are some sort of hybrid and you use dark magic? Are you dark like Sauron?" Kili hissed at her sharply, he didn't like the idea of her being anything but Dwarf. Her entire body went rigid, as though he physically hit her and he realized that this was not the first time she heard those words. He watched as fresh pain flashed across her face, marring her beauty, before she pushed it away. He regretted them immediately, but didn't have a chance to take them back.

"Take that back!" Rylee stopped short and glared at Kili as he kept walking. He did not just compare her to Morgoth's second in command! He once worked under Aulë, and after centuries of sneaking around he betrayed Aulë, he betrayed all of the Valar. He was cruel and conniving. He chased her through Middle-Earth for years. She would never fall like him! Never!

"Why should I?" He glared at her, "You must be some sort of witch or enchantress! Nothing else makes sense."

"I may be a hybrid, Kili, but I am nothing like Sauron the Deceiver! I care not how tainted my soul becomes; I will fight darkness until my last breath." Rylee said, her voice darkened with power, and her grey eyes sparked with light, Kili felt the hair on his arms begin to rise. It was the same power as he felt at the Hobbit's house, he thought. She all but growled at him, "I am not some lesser being than you. I am Rylee Emitheral, daughter of Aulë, Rúnyatári. I will be treated with respect. Do you understand me?"

"Are you looking for an argument, lass?" Kili still clutching her string of fish in his hands. He was so mad at her, for giving her attention to Fili when they were sparring, for exposing herself to those bandits, for the way he was feeling, for the need to hold her, for the courting braid in her hair. For exposing herself to him! He would never be able to forget her perfect body or the scars that marred the soft flesh of her pale back.

"Mahal, father, help me find the words," Rylee sent a prayer to her father. She felt completely betrayed by Kili, he was her One and he was treating her like she was a monster! She felt pain, physical pain in her chest. "I am as I will always be, Kili, you may accept me as I am or not accept me at all. Regardless, you will respect me as I respect you. If you want something of me, ask for it, or not. But do not dare treat me with disrespect that I do not deserve!"

She stalked away from him as they entered the camp a few seconds later. The entire company was stunned into silence as they heard her last words. They looked between the pair; Kili's face was undisguised rage while Rylee's was a mask of granite. Her odd eyes were flashing brightly, in anger, and in pain.


	7. Blood Magic

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 7

Blood Magic

May 2

"Rylee caught fish for supper," Kili said holding up the three large trout, he kept his tone light, trying to break the tension among the group. He completely ignored Rylee's enraged glare as she moved quickly away from him towards her bedroll.

"What beauties they are!" Bombur said rubbing his hands together, he too tried to keep the mood light. Though everyone wanted to know what was going on, they didn't want to outright intrude, "I will get those cooked up in a jiffy."

Kili handed the fish to Bombur and sat near the fire beside Fili. Within seconds he was back on his feet and pacing in the shadows of the campfire. Too angry and confused to sit down, too frustrated to do anything but rehash what just happened in his mind.

Oin looked at Rylee with a bit of surprise. "I didn't know you liked to fish, what did you use for bait?"

"The two smaller ones I used blood worms, and the big one I caught with a water beetle." Rylee said trying her damnedest not to show any of her inner turmoil. She ignored Kili's pacing and continued speaking as though nothing was wrong. "Oh Bombur, I will need those hooks back, so don't cut them, please?"

"Of course not lass," Bombur said as he set about cleaning the fish.

"So, blood worms and a water beetle, but you are afraid of spiders," Gloin looked at her with a disbelieving glare as per usual.

"You would be too if you ever met Ungoliant," Rylee shivered at the memory of her single encounter with the massive arachnid, "That was a meeting I will never forget and will keep me terrified of spiders as long as I live."

"I didn't know you met Ungoliant," Gandalf said, looking up at her in surprise. Thorin's eyes also snapped up to meet hers upon hearing that she went up against the Dark Spider. It made a chill run down his spine.

The moment she said it she regretted speaking out loud, she spoke without thinking. She was too distracted to even guard her own mouth! It was like everyone was instantly alert, the moment Rylee said anything about her past, everyone tuned in to listen to her. Now they would want the story and she was not prepared to tell them the whole thing. She sighed knowing that there was no way that she would be able to back out of it now.

"It's not much of a story. It was during my first quest, Gandalf. After you escorted me to Jovina's home and returned to Aman. Turin and I were searching for a path to get closer to Glaurung, I was scouting ahead. I was unfortunate enough to get caught up in one of Ungoliant's webs of darkness. Normally I would see through such a glamour, but it was a moonless night, I could barely see through the darkness as it was. She was quick to pounce since most of the beasts in the area were savvy enough to know where the dangers lie. Without those types of instinctual traits, I had no idea she was there in the darkness. She was so much bigger than I ever imagined, even in my worst nightmares. Nothing could have prepared me for her." Rylee whispered softly, her voice rough with the remembered fear. The power in her voice was in every inflection as she related her tale.

"Her beady red eyes glowed from within the perpetual darkness that surrounded. I could hear her voice out loud, but also whispering into my mind, telling me to give her all of my light, telling me that she would devour all of the light and love in my soul. All I knew was I had to get out of there and fast. I already had my axes in hand, when she arrived, so when she started to pull me into her web, dragging me deeper into darkness, I kept cutting lose." Rylee said, clutching her arms around her, shivering violently at the memory.

"How did you escape?" Ori asked his quill flying across his page as he took everything in, his eyes wide with wonder.

Rylee looked at the scribe for a moment. Not yet ready to trust anyone with the absolute darkness of Ungoliant and the beginning of a new terror. Not willing to admit that the venom that remained was eating at her soul, or that she could sense the darkness that followed them because of that venom. It was a gift and a curse. Rylee purposely skipped to the end of the story,

"I used a rune spell," Rylee said shrugging it off, and looked across the camp to where Gandalf sat. "I asked for light, and the glyphs on my Armor and weapons lit up like fireworks. The light stunned Ungoliant for a mere moment, but that was all I needed, I hacked off one of her fangs and ran. I did not waste a moment running out of that one's web. It was a very narrow escape and I have not been able to look at a spider the same since."

Thorin looked at her, watching her face, the mask was up but there was something there for a moment, when she shrugged. She was hiding something. Something she didn't feel comfortable sharing. It was confirmed in the uncontrolled shivers and the completely defensive stance she was taking. That shrug and that stance were always a giveaway for when she was being flippant or understating a tale that she was telling. He would ask her another time, when there were not so many eyes and ears.

"I read that Ungoliant devoured herself at the end of the First Age," Ori asked with his usual bright curiosity as he looked up at Rylee expectantly. "Do you think it possible, Rylee?"

"She may have, I do not know what became of her. All I know is that she was very much alive when I escaped her nest." Rylee said as she shivered in the darkness of the camp. 'I still hear her, in my nightmares and in moments of weakness,' she thought to herself pursing her lips and crossing her arms protectively across her chest. It was possible that she devoured herself, but if she did then who was the one in the shadows? The only monster that made sense was Sauron, but that was not possible was it? Both of them terrified her. Then she said to Gandalf, "I have my doubts that the spider is truly dead. If anything she has finally succeeded in becoming one with the darkness she created."

"Can you show us?" Ori asked, ever curious.

"Show you what?" Rylee asked warily, looking at the scribe.

"Your magic, the spell you used to beat back Ungoliant," Ori insisted, his eyes wide and hopeful.

She looked into the flame, taking a single step towards it and watched as the flames rose several inches, as though to greet her. Rylee wanted to touch it to allow the fire to wash over her but she stopped and watched the flames flicker and dance in the darkness. Rylee was tempted to grab her kit and show them her magic when Thorin stepped up beside her and said, "Nay, magic and spells should only be used in moments of great need. It takes great energy to wield such power. It should never be abused."

She turned to look at him, 'when had he become so knowledgeable about magic? Or was it because he didn't want her sharing her magic with the others?' She narrowed her gaze at him and he returned the look. 'Sure enough, he didn't want the others to know.' She could feel the defiance rising in her. What was it about Thorin that made her want to defy every order, and scream at him? She turned away from him trying to rein in her bubbling emotions. Kili brought them to the surface. The fear, rage, frustration, even lust, passion and love, it was making her insane. Thorin was riding on the coat-tails of a flash flame.

"Where have you been Mahalul?" He asked her quietly, following her to her bedroll where she began rifling through her belongings, searching for something in the darkness. She stopped as she reached for something under her pillow.

"For a bath obviously," She said scathingly, shooting a glare at him, "Can't bloody well stay in camp smelling like a werewolf, now can I? The scent alone will lure ever vile creature within ten leagues."

"Werewolf," Thorin looked at her in shock. Rage hit him furiously, a vein in his temple started to tick and his heart was hammering in his chest as he tried to control his anger. His voice rose as his ire grew, "You were hunting a werewolf?"

"That's what I just said," She snapped at him. After her argument with Kili the last thing she needed was one with Thorin, but her rage was beyond her control when she lowered her voice and bit out, "You hard of hearing Ugshar?"

The entire camp went silent, no one moved, no one breathed. The tension grew tenfold within ten seconds.

"What did you just say?" Thorin growled at her, his voice, his stance, everything about him was menacing as he tried to control his anger at his young charge.

"Huh! So, you have gone deaf," Rylee said unflinchingly, her hands clenched in rage at her sides, her entire body was poised for a fight. She repeated herself loudly, being purposely obnoxious, "I said I was hunting a werewolf! Yesterday it was a pair of Orcs riding on Wargs, the day before it was another blasted Warg. Who knows what will be after me tomorrow. You want to know why I hunt them, Thorin?"

No one spoke, no one moved. Thorin had to hold himself back from back handing her like he itched to. She was a dwarrowdam, regardless of the fact that she was a War Maiden, a dwarf did not hit a dwarrowdam. Ever. He met her flashing gaze, her stone mask was long gone. All that was left was anger, rage and hate, all of it directed squarely at him. He grimaced and clenched his own fists for a long moment before purposely loosening his stance and putting his hands behind his back. Then he smirked at her and sneered, "Enlighten us Rylee. Why do you hunt them?"

"Because they are drawn to me, because they want me to join them in darkness, because other than a small spark of light, I am dark. My light was destroyed long ago," She said coldly, darkly, her voice was low, but it carried over the camp and the electric power within it made everyone shiver. She pulled off her coat, heavy tunic and her mithril corselet, glaring directly at Kili as she continued, "And the only thing that keeps me from giving in is magic. Magic borne of my blood, my fire and my soul. Now if you don't mind I am going to cleanse my spirit from the taint of that darkness."

Rylee bent down picked up her kit from underneath her pillow and turned to the fire. Thorin tried to stop her but she shrugged him off, pushed bodily past him and continued on. Her need to work her magic was now so far beyond her control, she could not have stopped herself if she had tried. Rylee dropped to her knees before the fire and rolled her kit out on her lap. She took a shaky breath and put her hand into the fire and picked up a coal. Flames shot high into the night sky, the entire company gasped in horror. Thorin reached for her in fear.

Rylee was inside of herself and inside of the thrall of her fire, controlling the flame in her hand as she sang the song that wound through her heart. It was not a song of words. It was more like humming and chanting, deep and guttural. The song was ancient and it was formed of feeling and deep emotions, it was a way of releasing the negative and reclaiming the positive and imbuing an artifact with the energy to be great and powerful. When she did this the world dropped away, it was just her, the metal and the fire. Nothing else existed for her. Nothing else mattered.

"Don't touch her!" Gandalf hollered as Thorin and Kili made to stop her, "She is in a thrall, nothing you say or do will reach her."

"How do you know this?" Thorin asked as he watched in horror as Rylee pulled her hand out holding a singular small ember and started to sing. He stood just to her right, and knelt beside her, wanting nothing more than to pull her away from what he saw was danger.

"I have seen blood magic performed before," Gandalf said quietly, motioning for the others to gather to watch. "Most people believe that all blood magic is dark, but in its truest essence blood magic is not impure. It is the kind found in the basest foundation of a being. It is the most natural form of magic, and can be the most spiritual as well."

"How can you tell that hers is not dark magic?" Kili snapped the question, his voice was hostile and angry, but there was anguish and worry as well. He too was at her side, kneeling beside her to her left, tempering the desire to caress her cheek as she chanted in the strange tongue.

"Listen to her," Gandalf whispered as he watched, "don't you hear it? Can you not feel it?"

While Rylee knew that the others around her could hear and feel the emotions behind what she was doing, even if they would never be able to put it into words, she could not see or hear or even feel them as she focused intently on the fire and the task at hand. The bright coal in her hand began to cool a bit until she began to chant to it, then it brightened and turned white hot, she watched as the coal turned to ash and drifted away leaving a bright bulb of heat sitting in the center of her palm. She placed the dagger on top and sang and chanted to the metal filling it with heat and emotion until it was malleable.

Kili watched in awe as she held fire in her bare hands, hotter than any flame he saw in any forge he ever worked. Her gray eyes were bright with electricity sparking and flashing within their depths and the humming grunts that came from her throat seemed strange and unnatural, and yet he understood everything that she was saying. Her face was bright with passion, her cheeks flushed, her lips parted, her breath coming and going in small pants. He thought her beautiful before, but like this she was enthralling. Desire swelled in him as he watched her, he wondered what it would be like to kiss her, and he wondered if he could make her face light with a different kind of passion. He tried to remind himself that he was angry with her, but he could not, he was angrier with himself.

Bilbo could not take his eyes off of Rylee, her movements were sure as she worked with the metal. He had never seen magic before and what she was doing was beyond the scope of anything he had ever witnessed before. Not that he knew anything about forging metal. He did know that she should not be able to do this without a forge and the proper tools. It would take a lot to get a camp fire to the right temperatures, and even more to maintain it at the right temperatures. He once heard that a Dwarf could withstand extreme temperatures allowing them to spend hours in great forges, which were bigger than the Shire itself. Considering the awe on Thorin's face and that on the rest of the Company's, Bilbo was certain that while it might be true, holding bare molten metal in ones bare hand was unheard of.

The blade on her hand was superheated and Bilbo could tell that it was quite soft. She somehow lowered the temperature just enough that the shape was retained and yet the metal was workable. He watched carefully as she picked up a fine etching blade and began to cut runes and glyphs into the metal, from tip to handle she wrote on the metal. Some of the glyphs seemed to embed themselves into the metal, then they filled themselves in and she started all over again. Again and again she etched the metal with her blade, and again and again the metal absorbed the glyphs. She turned the blade over and did the same on the other side.

The chanting changed and the runes lit up from within, brighter and brighter, white light shone from inside the metal. She continued to sing her inner song, putting every part of her heart into it, for the first time in ages she released her hidden hopes and dreams into the somber inflections and the soaring arias of her inner music. It was then Rylee started to cry, her tears flowed freely from her eyes, her song changed to heartbreak, sorrow, grief. Each salty drop was captured by the flame in her hand, but instead of sizzling and evaporating away, the moisture was collected and began to coat the bright silver metal. Rylee didn't understand why she was crying or why her tears were being collected, but it felt right and it soothed her soul.

Fili could feel the emotions of each glyph as it lit up, fear, sorrow, pain, grief, hate, rage, love, passion, lust, happiness and joy, elation and gentleness. Every negative emotion was outweighed with an opposite, they each ebbed and flowed into and out of the song and into the blade. Finally one word rose to the surface on either side of the blade, 'hush'. The rest faded into the metal, but that one word shone, then it started to bleed. The blood mixed with the tears that she cried and the blood turned a deep royal blue. Fili could feel the fire emanating from her, and yet he was not overly warm, it was like she was contained in her own little bubble. He wondered at the immense control it must take for her to do this kind of magic, considering the science it took to work metal in a proper forge. Fili could only imagine that she must have some feel for the metal, as she held it in her hands.

Ori stood behind Kili so he could better see what was happening, trying to be silent, so as not to draw attention from Thorin or others. The blade and tang brightened and turned white, and then they too began to bleed. The blue blood collected on the cutting edge and in the runes, then with a few changes in her note and tone the heat rose and the blood moved down from the runes and the blade and collected on the metal where the handle would be, it was absorbed back into the metal. Dori drew Ori back, his eyes wide with worry for his younger brother, not wanting him to get too close to Rylee or her fire. For fear that Ori might burn himself.

She was not afraid of fire, she was made of fire. A shiver ran down Dwalin's spine as Rylee suddenly changed the tone and chant and suddenly the heat was gone, the heat doused and a deep sudden cold set in around the knife. She quenched the knife in cold and slowly started raising the temperature. She tempered the blade, hardening and softening and then hardening it again. He could not believe what he was seeing, the slight girl before him was working the metal in her hand like he would work metal at the forge. What would take him hours to complete was taking her mere minutes and her precision while she worked was exquisite. Finally her words fell away and her strange song lowered into a quiet hum, in her hands she held her blade leaving the blunt end exposed.

From her roll of tools she picked up a finely carved black bone handle. It was already fitted with a guard and pommel. Rylee slid the thin metal hank into the handle and started whispering quietly. Again runes lit, but this time from within the bone and the blue colored blood emerged once more, decorating the entire piece in shining blue gore. It felt like the weapon itself was pulsing with life. Kili noticed that it was her hands that were creating the pulse, they were working the blood into the bone and into the metal, as though she was sealing the fibers together. She worked it, and whispered to it until all the shining blue was gone and all that was left was a silver dagger with a blue blade and rune marks and a perfectly attached black bone handle. The weld looked perfectly seamless.

Thorin watched as her eyes rolled back into her head and her head fell forward, but she remained upright. Her breath was rushing through her body in deep gasps, a fine sweat shone over her form. He could feel her shaking beside him, shivering as though cold. Finally the humming ended and the small girl lifted her head. Rylee pulled out her oil and a cloth and worked the blade, checking it for any imperfections. She moved the knife in her hands, she moved it in a sequence of sorts, checking for balance and weight and feel. When she was satisfied, the weapon shone brightly in the light of the fire. She held it up and turned to Kili. Her voice was a mere whisper as she said, "A gift to you from Mahal."

Her magic was terrifying, awe inspiring, and beautiful all at once. It was unlike any magic he ever before witnessed, it was unlike Gandalf's and unlike any dwarves, it was one borne of fire and blood. Kili was both eager and reluctant to touch this blade made with blood magic. He reached out to touch it, and hesitated, meeting her eyes. There was no emotion on her face, not even in her eyes as she nodded at him to take it, and as he did the Runes on both blade and handle lit as it was claimed by its owner. The company gasped as they watched, as the light grew as he held it and then faded into the darkness of the night. Kili tested the blade in his hands and found no flaws. It was perfect in every way.

Bilbo met Gandalf's eyes and after a moment he sat back on his bedroll, trying to make sense of what he just witnessed. It seemed to him that her power was not of this world and he wondered if in the wrong hands it could be evil. Rylee said herself that it offered her a sense of purification. Purification was a good thing.

Rylee silently packed her kit and stood, Kili watched her as she damn near shook from the effort, her eyes kept closing as though she was fighting sleep. She wiped her hand over her face to clear away the exhaustion and turned to where Mikhaul was resting and put the kit into her pack and climbed into her bed roll. Her hands touched the handles of her axes and passed out as her head touched her pillow. Within seconds of laying down she was asleep. She didn't even bother to cover herself. The company stared at her in disbelief, awe, fear and wonder. She was truly Mahal's daughter, a Child of Aulë.

"That would explain why she can't cook," Fili said looking at the girl passed out on her bedroll.

"Aye, considering she can melt metal in her hands," Kili nodded thoughtfully.

"You noticed that she started with an ember?" Fili asked his brother and his uncle.

"I wonder if she can start a fire, without an ember, that would take great power," Gandalf said from his bedroll. "She is, apparently, impervious to flame."

Thorin's frustration ebbed away as he looked upon her sleeping form and his parental instinct took hold as he saw her shiver in the cool night. She was wearing only her thin tunic, her other gear was folded at the foot of her bedroll, offering her no protection from the cold. He stood and went to her side bending to pull the covers around her, like he once did for his nephews, tucking her into her bed. He went back to the fire and set the watch rotation, Fili and Kili would have first watch, and then Dori and Gloin, followed by Bofur and Ori, he and Dwalin would have last.

"Keep an eye on her, what you saw tonight does not leave this company." Thorin told everyone who was gathered near. Thorin looked back at Rylee, then at the rest of the company. They needed to be careful, very careful. A dwarf who could use this level of magic was more than rare, it was impossible. Ori's curiosity set the thoughts in motion. If anyone outside the company found out what she could do, they might try to use her. Force her to make weapons for them against her will. He heard the song, her craft was about finding the perfect balance for the weapon, if someone or something threw her off kilter and she truly lost that spark of light, she could create weapons of grave destruction.

"Be careful, Thorin," Gandalf said quietly from the darkness of his bedroll, "if you truly want to protect her from the evils of the world you will need to allow her to become free of the shackles that bind her, not create more to contain her. Help her embrace her future."

Thorin shot the wizard a dark glare, how the hell did he know what he was thinking?

He recalled the words that she said to Kili as they came into camp, and the barely concealed pain that was in her voice when she spoke to Bombur and Oin. Then he looked at Kili who was looking between Rylee and the knife still laying on his open palm in complete confusion. Something happened between them and he wanted to know what. Thorin stalked toward Kili, grabbed his arm and hauled him away from the group. "What the hell happened?"

"She told me about her blood magic," Kili said softly, he hedged, not wanting to admit all the things he said. She was sleeping. It was not like she was telling anyone. Looking up at his uncle and then back at the small dwarrowdam who passed out in her bedroll, her fiery hair spilling around her in thick glossy waves, he felt guilt wash through him. "We have been taught all of our lives that it is the vilest kind of magic! That it is dark and impure. I had no idea-."

"She is not a dwarf Kili, she is the Daughter of Mahal! She was created by the Valar, born in a forge! Did you not think that she would have some sort of magic? If they thought the magic evil, do you think they would have taught her to wield it?" Thorin scolded him darkly. The Valar told Thorin years ago that there would be things that made her more than a Dwarf, magic being only one of them. Thorin accepted that when he accepted her.

"How long have you known about her magic, Uncle?" Kili asked, certainly his uncle had plenty of time to get over the shock of such a thing.

"Since she was twenty-three," Thorin put his hand on his nephew's shoulder. Any kind of magic that used blood as a catalyst, was misunderstood, and usually considered evil. He worried Rylee's latest act of defiance might cost her more than she bargained for, that the company would fear her and shun her now that they knew of her magic. He was aware that there were some among them that were quite superstitious. "Does it really matter? So she can use blood magic. Now that you have seen it, does that make her a lesser dwarf or something much greater, stronger, and more precious? You had better figure out how you feel about her and what she is. I will not have you hurting her."

The rest of the company finished eating, and packed everything away for the next morning. Bombur set aside a covered dish for Rylee and a small pot of water for when she woke. The tone amongst the camp was somber and a little tense, everyone reflecting on what they witnessed. It was not long before everyone settled into their bedrolls for the night. Fili and Kili scouted the site watching for danger before they returned to their post. They chose a place close to camp that would allow them a good view of both the camp itself and the surrounding area, then they sat back to back so they could look out.

"May I see the blade?" Fili asked holding out his hand expectantly for the dagger his brother got from Rylee. Kili placed it in his palm and Fili tested it out. A small sliver of envy passed through him as he got a feel for the blade. It truly was a beautifully made knife. When she originally told them that she made her own weapons he thought that she was bragging and taking undue credit. After seeing her work he could not help but admire her talent. "No weld marks, the clarity in the blade, the sharpness of the metal, it is perfect. You think she would make me one?"

"If you asked her," Kili said shrugging nonchalantly, as he took the knife back from his brother. He looked over at Rylee in her bedroll, even in her sleep tears still fell from her closed eyes. Her hands gripped tight around her axes. After watching her sleep for three nights in a row he knew her sleep routine, it was always restless and dream-filled, but she did not cry. He knew that this was his doing. He didn't really know what happened. One minute they were fine and the next he snapped at her. It was obvious that she was different than everyone else he ever met, so what was it that made him turn on her like that?

He wasn't even sure he was angry about the magic, he felt guilty for what he said. Comparing her to the Lord of the Rings, that was low, and her vow against darkness, if her magic was so dark would she really make such a vow? She said she hunted enemies, she hollered at Thorin that she was hunting the most vile beasts, some he had never faced before, and never wanted to. Werewolves, they would certainly be big enough to leave marks on her body, even through layered armor. How could she put herself in danger like that? She could be killed! He wanted to both shake her and crush her against him and never let her go!

"I said the most horrible things Fili." Kili said watching his Mithril Queen cry in her sleep. He never meant to make her cry. He just didn't understand why she made him so possessive and aggressive and protective. "I called her a Hybrid. I said she was as dark as Sauron."

Kili couldn't believe he said that to her. The way he said it to her, like she was beneath him, when really he saw her above everything. In his eyes she was perfection in every possible way. He wanted to be worthy of her affection, he wanted her to be his, and instead he pushed her away as hard and fast as he could. Was it because he wanted to knock her down to his level? His mother would be ashamed of what he did, what he said. What was wrong with him?

"Why would you say such a thing?" Fili looked at his brother with complete shock. Just as he and Thorin talked about, Kili said something insensitive, but instead of brushing it off like he normally would, Kili was actually upset about it. "There must be some reason you would say something like that? What happened? What did you do?"

"I saw her naked, then she was attacked by bandits. I don't think I have ever been so angry with someone in my life, she should never have let them see her like that," Kili whispered hoarsely as he tried to explain what possessed him to be so callous, "They laid hands on her, Fili, I just- I just couldn't stand it!"

"That doesn't explain why you would say such things, Kili" Fili looked at his brother oddly. Kili was ranting, and he wasn't one to rant, he only did that when he was really upset. Kili started over and told him everything from the beginning to the end. By the end of his tale Fili looked at him stunned. "So you called her a Hybrid because she wears another man's braid, and as dark as Sauron because she does blood magic?"

"Mahal, I am such an Idiot! That was the most enchanting thing I have ever seen in all my life, and I belittled her for her ability," Kili groaned dropping his head into his hands, he sounded like a complete loon. A jealous, bigoted, lustful, possessive crazy person! What was she doing to him? "What if she leaves us, Fili? What if I pushed her away? She can't leave us. I won't let her leave me."

"She won't leave us, Kili." Fili turned in his seat to look at his brother, concern flashed in him at Kili's possessive statement. Did he even hear himself? Fili was certain that there was no way Rylee would leave Kili. According to Thorin, Kili was her One. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I suppose I need to make it up to her, but how?" Kili hated that he had insulted her in the first place, or that he watched tears fall from her lashes as she worked her magic. He hurt her with his words and it was unforgivable. Kili looked back at the sleeping girl. "I know nothing about her."

"You might want to start with an apology." Fili chuckled softly, "then get to know her."

A couple hours later Kili finally climbed into his bedroll at shift change and he tried to sleep, instead of his eyes closing though, he was wide awake. He stared across camp towards Rylee and watched her eyes begin to move rapidly, her breathing began to become erratic and heavy, as though she was trying to escape something within her dream. Her hands twitched and tightened on her axes before she released them and she started to toss and turn. Her feet kicked out of the blankets, and her legs swung wildly until she was lying flat on her back. She groaned in her sleep, then she whimpered softly and whispered, 'No, no, no. Please No! Kaia!' Her eyes popped open and she sat straight up.

It was becoming a familiar sight, three nights in a row he watched her wake from some horrible dream. Some nights she would be able to return to sleep, and others she would bury her head in her hands and after several minutes she would rise and send one of the watchmen back to their bedrolls. He watched her sit in silence for a long while, her head in her hands, as she wept over her friend. She said something about this girl at Bilbo's place, something about her disappearing in a battle.

"You all right, lass?" Gloin asked from beside the fire, his voice was concerned. Kili blinked at him in surprise, Gloin was always suspicious of Rylee. The only person he ever shared that tone with was Gimli, his son.

"Just a nightmare, Gloin," Rylee whispered back, "I am sorry if I disturbed you."

"No harm done, child, go back to sleep," Gloin told her softly.

"He's right Rylee, there is plenty of night left to get some shut eye," Dori said from beside him. His face was pulled into a frown. Rylee looked up at the sky and looked over at Dori and Gloin, who were on watch. Then she lay back down and resumed her grip on her axes. "Um, miss Rylee?"

"Yes Dori?" Rylee whispered softly.

"What's Mahal like?" Dori asked suddenly.

"He is strong, and smart, like Thorin, but quiet like Dwalin, and he has a sense of humor like Fili and Kili." Rylee smiled up at the sky, "He is warm and loving, creative and inspiring. He is patient. He would have to be, to put up with me. I miss him."

"Thorin says you can have attachments to the Valar now that you are here," Dori told her softly.

"I know," She whispered softly, "I am trying to make amends, I just don't know if they would even accept my apology."

"Why would you need to apologize?" Gloin asked through the darkness.

"Because I am the one who caused the problem," Rylee sighed her voice was glum and dark. She closed her eyes and Kili watched as she settled herself back to sleep.

Kili looked over at Dori and Gloin as they watched Rylee, there was concern there. Genuine concern. Dori was the most superstitious dwarf Kili ever met, and yet he accepted Rylee's magic. Like there was nothing remotely unnatural or different about it. Gloin too, he was constantly questioning her motives and suddenly he was concerned for her welfare? It was like her display of magic had unlocked some sort of communication line. Like they suddenly understood that she was not lying or deceiving them. Frowning, Kili thought about it for a moment, she kept telling them who and what she was, and yet no one truly believed her. Tonight she offered them undeniable proof. She gave them a part of herself. Kili took out the knife and studied it for a long time. He would talk to her, he vowed to himself. At first light he would talk to her and he would apologize for the horrible things he said.

Rylee tossed and turned. Everything was wrong! She could not sleep, feeling all of the horrid emotions that Kili's accusations brought up. Her mind whirled, tumbling over the words he said. Enchantress and witch, those words didn't bother her as much as the other. Hybrid. Why did that word hurt more than any other that she heard? It was a truthful word, but it held all the contempt of the world. The same old prejudices, she would never fit with any of the people that the Valar made her for. She was different from every being she ever met, some hated her for her differences, some feared her and others wanted to own her for them. Morgoth had Sauron hunting for her through the First Age, wanting to lure her into darkness, but neither ever confronted her directly. She knew the seduction of darkness better than any other being.

_She didn't know when she finally fell back asleep but her dreams were more tormented than ever before. Not only was she seeing the battles of the past and the future, in front of the great fiery eye, she was also feeling her connections to those around her being torn apart. She was on a battle field, there were Orcs, Wargs, Trolls, and great bats coming at them and she was in the midst of the company, standing by Thorin's side as they went to war. All of them Gandalf and Bilbo included, they were allied with Elves and with Men, yet were still sadly out numbered. As they fought her mind began to spin, and one by one she watched them fall. _

_First Bofur, then Ori, Dori fell as he tried to reach his brother, Nori was far afield when his body became riddled with Orc arrows. Balin was cleaved by a great sword of a troll, and Bombur was struck through the heart by a spear. Gloin took a mace to the side of the head and Bifur was taken out by a pair of wargs, tearing him apart. Oin was devoured by bats, his blood sucked out of his body, his flesh torn and stripped. Dwalin died trying to protect her, while she stood helplessly watching as others fell, he took a sword to his chest, cleaving through his heart. A great white beast with a deep black shadow stalked after Thorin, Fili and Kili were at his side, trying to keep their uncle protected at all costs. _

_They fought valiantly, all of them did, Fili and Kili took down many of their enemies as they worked together to destroy the darkness that was upon them. Thorin took an arrow to the chest, just above his heart, but he still stayed standing, fighting. Then Fili took an arrow to his shoulder, and another to his lower back. He could not raise his arm to parry the sword that sliced through his chest baring his heart. Kili screamed as though the pain were his own and went after the Orc that killed his brother, taking its head. Thorin swung his great axe at the white and black shadow, but it was ineffective, nothing could kill it. Another arrow struck his body, in the thigh, and then another in his back. Still he fought and Kili tried to protect him with his own body as three more arrows struck him in the chest. Rylee watched as he lay on the ground convulsing and coughing up blood. Thorin cried as the shadow figure came at him, lashing out with a large sword, his head rolled from his body. The head, Thorin's head looked up at her, "You must save us Rylee, help us, save us," and Rylee started to scream._

It was Thorin's watch, he and Dwalin watching over the others as they slept. Dwalin was never a man of many words but when he did speak, he always spoke his mind. He kept looking at the fire, and then back at Rylee where she slept fitfully beside Mikhaul. Finally the bald dwarf spoke, "Borne of fire and magic, made to fight dragons, and on a quest to change fates. I never thought I would say this about a female, Thorin, but that lass right there scares me something fierce. Not because she could do us harm, mind you, but because I have never met a dwarrowdam so ready to die."

Thorin hummed in agreement, "Aye, but how do we protect her without insulting her honor?"

"You got me," Dwalin said shaking his head, he moved away to do a sweep of the surrounding area.

Thorin looked over at Rylee and thought of the events of the evening before. Hearing what she told Kili as they returned to camp, _"Regardless, you will respect me as I respect you. If you want something of me, ask for it, or not. But do not dare treat me with disrespect that I do not deserve!"_ An elf would have offered insult, men would draw weapons. Rylee used words that requested Kili's respect, commanded his respect. He could see the grace of Nienna within her. Kili must have said something pretty insulting to get a response like that. Thorin wondered what he said that hurt her so badly.

She began to thrash within her bedroll, her hands struck out at an invisible foe and she let out a silent scream as she sat upright, her eyes wide with horror and fear. He rushed to her side, knelt beside her, stopping her hands, taking them in his own. She flinched back, but he held fast. "It's okay, it was just a dream, Lukhdel, just a nightmare."

"The dreams are worse, I thought the fire would make it better, it was not strong enough, it was not pure enough," She whispered huskily. She gripped his hands in her own and looked up at Thorin as her mind moved away from her nightmares and on to what was really bothering her, "Why would he say those things Thorin? They were horrible and made me feel like I was less than dirt. Words have never cut so deep before."

He met her sad eyes and quietly he said, "Kili spoke out of turn, he has never met anyone like you. It is hard to fathom a dwarrowdam with the ability to wield blood magic. When I found out about your ability I was terrified, terrified of you, and for you. I knew then that your path would be difficult."

"Ugshar, I wield a magic so different that I am feared because of it. How can expect Kili to accept it if even you cannot?" Rylee choked back the tears, unwilling to betray any emotion when she spoke. She thought again of the darkness following her, the strange yet familiar dance of it, the beasts hunting her. The patterns made her uneasy. "He asked me if I am dark like Sauron. Compared me to the Deceiver."

"He did what?" Thorin's head snapped up meeting her eyes. Kili certainly didn't admit to that, no wonder he seemed to look absolutely guilty all evening.

"The thing is, I fight the dark every day," Rylee admitted softly, "I worry that I wall fall like him. What if I fall into darkness and betray my father like Sauron did?"

"You won't," Thorin squeezed her fingers tightly, "My nephew is a bonehead, hardheaded and stubborn at times too. He doesn't know you, he doesn't know your spirit or your determination. With Nienna's Grace and Eru's strength, you are stronger than Sauron ever was. You would never let yourself fall."

Still, her voice came out thick and rough with the effort, she whispered lowly, just for his ears, "Did you know I was created to appeal to every race? Since coming to Middle-Earth I have found that the opposite is true. Do you know what it is like to be shunned by everyone, because you are different? I know that I will never have a place in the world that I was created for. I just do not belong here."

"Your place is here, with us. You are part of our company." Thorin said quietly, he sat beside her, holding her hands in his. He looked her in the eyes, "Your place is with me."

"Are you certain of that Ugshar? I seem to be doing more harm to your Company than good," Rylee said in frustration. She looked at Kili, who hated her now because of her magic. Dori who was already superstitious looked at her with fear in his eyes. Gloin as always with suspicion. She thought about their conversation when she woke in the middle of their watch, they seemed oddly caring and she wondered why.

"I am certain," Thorin spoke softly, following the path of her eyes, "They do not fully understand yet who and what you are, but they will. Just give them time to adjust. Will you join us on our quest? The way I see it, we can offer you guidance, protection and camaraderie on our way to Erebor, while you can offer us your protection, assistance and guidance in other matters as you fulfill your quest."

"I am a blooded warrior in my own right, I do not require protection, but I will accept guidance and camaraderie," Rylee said with a small smirk, "but I expect to be allowed into watch rotation, and I will do my share. Also, I will continue to hunt, you cannot sway me against this. Consider it part of the protection I am offering you."

"Consider it done," Thorin agreed, he realized that somehow his wily pupil went and turned this discussion into a negotiation, "But no more wandering off, I want to know where you are going, and you report what you find, if there are dangers out there I want to know what they are."

"You want to know when I am going hunting or when I need a bath?" Rylee's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Is that really necessary?"

"When you go hunting, absolutely, I do not like your version of hunting, and I would rather be aware of it when you go. Stop just sneaking away, it is disruptive and makes me look like a fool in front of my men. As for the other, just oblige me, so we do not worry so much," Thorin said seriously, he felt he was handling this situation much better than he thought he would. Then he thought of the group discussion earlier while she was away. "Keep in mind you have a bunch of mother hens surrounding you. Dwarves are very protective of their females and you, Lukhdel, are no exception to that rule."

"I remember Durin saying much the same once." Rylee said chagrined. She huffed and rolled her eyes, "I had to help him kill a dragon for him to listen to me."

Thorin looked at her oddly, and Rylee quirked her brow in askance. He shook his head, waving it away. "So, will you accept my invitation, and become an official member of our Company?"

A smile swept across her face, "I would be honored to be part of your company, Thorin Oakenshield."

"Good, Bombur saved you some food. It is by the fire, I can warm it for you. There is also water for your tea." Thorin said, rising to his feet. He offered his hand, and upon taking it he hauled her to her feet. "Bombur says that you have been eating last. Is there a reason for this?"

"Males require larger rations than I do, even though Bombur does seem to be trying to fatten me up," Rylee shrugged, and then she sighed and made a small confession, "It is also best that I do not go too close to the cooking fire."

They made their way to the low fire. He put her food closer to the flames to warm it for a few minutes. The moment she sat down, the flames brightened, quickened and flared. It didn't take long for her food to be warm and he handed her the dish as well as the boiling water for her tea. "Why did you defy me last night Rylee? Why the open display of magic?"

"A darkness is following me and there is a release when I use my magic," Rylee explained softly as she looked up at him, "It offers me clarity and helps me – purify?" She paused for a moment wondering if that was the best description for what she got out of using her magic, "Hmm, Yes. Purify - my spirit. Only last night it was not enough to push the darkness back."

"It sounds like your magic is more complicated than what Mahal told me," Thorin whispered as he watched her carefully.

"It is. Much more complicated," She said, but she did not elaborate instead she ate her food and drank quickly. There were still a couple of hours left of the last watch, the shift must have just recently changed. "Go back to bed Thorin, I will sleep no more this night, and you look like you can use more rest."

"No Rylee, this is my watch," Thorin shook his head at her adamantly.

"Do we really need to argue again, Ugshar? You will not win an argument against me, go back to bed," Rylee said pointing to his bedroll that was sill laid out on a soft patch of grass. He was reluctant, but he went, and Rylee finished up his watch.

"Do you want me to talk to Kili, Rylee?" Thorin asked as he closed his eyes.

Rylee shot Kili's sleeping form a dark look, "No, I will deal with him, he owes me an apology."


	8. Where the Arrow Strikes

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 8

Where the Arrow Strikes

May 3

Dwalin was on the far side of the camp checking out the perimeter and she was doing much the same on her side. Neither had spoken since she took over the shift from Thorin and she was grateful for it. He was a man of few words and she appreciated that trait very much. Looking off into the distance she allowed her senses to open and she searched the shadows for any and all threats. A feeling settled over her, cold and dark, like walking into a shadow on a hot summer's day. A chill ran down Rylee's spine, she did not like the feeling of whatever was out there. She kept her distance from the others until just before the sun was rising. She touched Thorin's shoulder and without a word spoken he was up and readying the company for the day. Rylee moved off to start helping tear down the camp.

"You feel it Mikhaul?" Rylee whispered as Mikhaul stepped up to Rylee, ready to have the saddle and packs put on. "It is big, close, and oddly familiar."

"Familiar? What do you mean Rylee? I have never felt this before." Mikhaul snorted softly shaking her head, her silver white main flared around her before settling, her forelock settling in her eyes. Rylee reached up and pulled the hair away.

"I am certain I know this beast, Mikhaul," Rylee said in frustration, the tension in her body, the clench of her stomach, the slight throb behind her eyes. They all screamed at her that she knew this darkness, and it was big and ancient. How ancient? Was it a foe from the First Age? What could it possibly be this time? "Whatever it is, it is close, and we need to get it off our tail and away from the Company. I will not risk their lives before I even know who I am supposed to save."

"Agreed, Rylee, hurry it up and let's go," Mikhaul whispered into her mind, her voice comforting and soft. Rylee curried her down quickly and pulled the thick saddle blanket over Mikhaul's back and turned to pick up the saddle. Kili stood there, blocking her way. She went around him and picked up the saddle.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Kili asked her as she picked the saddle up off the ground.

Rylee shot him a glare as she moved around him to lift it onto Mikhaul's back. Gently pulling the straps tight and setting the tension. She was angry with Kili, but there was no way she was going to take it out on her best friend, so she was being as gentle as she possibly could. Rylee all but growled her response, "It's your breath, go ahead and waste it."

"Rylee, at least hear him out," Mikhaul chided her gently.

"You were not there Mikhaul, he endangered me and insulted me," Rylee huffed in response. "He compared me to Sauron."

Kili heard Mikhaul and winced at Rylee's response, she was still very angry with him. She worked around him, picking up the saddle bags and placing them onto Mikhaul, strapping them into place. Rylee was completely ignoring him.

"I am sorry for what I said last night. I should not have made that comparison or minimized your skill as a war maiden, or assumed that you could not defend yourself. I should never have said what I did about blood magic. I had no idea that it was so passionate and beautiful." 'Like you,' Kili thought as he watched her strap her belongings together and prop them up behind the saddlebags. He meant every single word that he was saying. By acting like the biggest arse in the world he pushed her away, and hurt her, he made her cry. It was unforgivable especially when in her response to his horrible words she only asked him to give her his respect. Kili watched her hopefully, but she did not acknowledge him by either word or by action. Was she even listening to him, or did she tune him out? Reaching out he touched her shoulder, trying to get her to look at him, she flinched under his touch and his heart squeezed even tighter in his chest. "I should never have called you a hybrid. I know you are nothing like Sauron. I sincerely apologize for my words and my actions. Rylee, please forgive me."

"Why should I Kili, you treated me like I am something dirty, beneath you, to be stepped on and used." Rylee pulled away from him and continued working, tightening the straps on the packs so they would not fall loose on the road. "I am fully aware that I am a hybrid, I am okay with that, I am not okay with the way you said it. Some of the best people I know are Halflings and abominations to their races. I will take those people above others; at least they treat me with dignity and respect."

"You are right. You are not beneath me, or anyone or anything else," Kili agreed wholeheartedly. He realized that he did even more damage than he thought, he needed to set this right. "You are the daughter of our maker and I know you would never turn on him. You are so much different than anyone I have ever known or ever met. I guess that scares me a little. It's not every day a dwarrowdam falls into my lap, especially one who can wield magic. Magic that is more beautiful and passionate than any I have ever witnessed before. What I said was truly unforgivable, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me anyways."

He was good with words, but then so was Oropher and he did great damage to her as did his son, who was equally as eloquent. She didn't really trust words, she trusted actions. Everything was strapped on, all Rylee needed was her weapons and she was ready to go. She wrapped her whip around her waist and pulled her axes over her shoulder, and then she picked up her bow. Looking at the fine wood for a moment, she decided to strap it with her bags, it was highly unlikely that she would be using it any time soon. The entire company other than Kili touched the weapon at one point or another of the course of the last few days, and not one rune lit up. She moved to put it on Mikhaul.

Kili blocked her path, "Please Rylee, I am truly sorry, can you forgive me?"

"After all the things you said you honestly think that a few pretty words are going to make me forgive you?" Rylee asked him scathingly, her heart was hurting by what he said, what he did. It was a good apology, she had to admit it, but could she forgive him? What if he did it again? How could she trust him after what he did to her? "You want me to forgive you? Prove to me that I can trust you. Prove to me that these are not just pretty whispers to make yourself feel better."

"How? How Rylee?" Kili pleaded quietly, her frown and the sadness that showed on her face made him want to scream. He would do anything, anything at all to prove himself worthy of her trust. "How do you want me to prove it to you?"

"I don't know!" Rylee hollered in frustration, all motion in the campsite stopped and every eye was turned on them. "It's your blasted apology! You think of something!"

Kili looked at her and looked around at the others who were watching intently. He sighed. There was no such thing as privacy in this place! He thought about that for a moment, then he said rather loudly, "Rylee Emitheral, I am truly an arse if there ever was one. I interfered with a battle you were more than capable of winning, I underestimated and undermined your skills, and nearly got you killed."

Rylee was staring at him her eyes wide in shock, she met Fili's eyes and arched her brow in question and he shrugged at her shaking his head. Then she looked back at Kili who continued speaking loudly. "It was wrong of me to call you a Hybrid, a witch and an enchantress. You are the daughter of Mahal and you deserve to be treated with deference. I was disrespectful and rude to you, I am a disgrace to my mother and to my uncle, and I should know better than to behave in such a way."

"Worst of all I should never have compared you to Sauron," Kili confessed, he looked sheepishly at Thorin who was glaring at him. Muttering from all around the camp started to rise at this but Kili continued, knowing that there was only one thing that she was truly pissed off about. Kili was absolutely embarrassed by what he was saying, but he wanted to prove to her that he meant what he was saying, and this was the only thing he could think of. He looked her directly in the eye and continued. "Beyond the fact that it is an insult to your character, which has always been impeccable, it was an affront to Mahal who made all dwarves and who created you in his forge and raised you in his Mansions. You would never turn your back on your father, and you would never become like the Deceiver."

He was standing right in front of her, still blocking her way. Everyone in the company was staring at them, and she felt pressured to accept his blasted apology. At the same time, he was more red faced than she was, his ears were even redder than his face. To admit ones faults to everyone was courageous and he was publicly allowing them to judge his transgressions. Still she felt a lingering doubt, she wasn't sure about what she was feeling. Should she forgive him?

"I never meant to hurt you, I swear it," Kili said looking her in the eye, he could see her discomfort and frustration, as she looked over his shoulder at the others. The frown still lingered on her face, she did not seem appeased at all. "Please Rylee, will you accept my heartfelt apology?"

She growled not yet ready to give, biting her tongue, she moved to go around him and he stopped her again, this time taking the bow out of her hands. They both looked on as the bow lit up, starting with the runes that surrounded the handle, spreading outward brighter and brighter all the way to the nocks at the tips. The entire camp including Kili gasped in shock and Rylee grumbled in annoyance. Sure, it just had to be Kili. Mahal and his bloody sense of humor! 'Worst timing in the world too,' Rylee thought feeling chagrined.

"More Magic?" Kili asked as the light slowly faded from the bow.

"Aye, you have a problem with that?" Rylee growled at him darkly.

Kili looked at her, and she held her eyes away from him, it was as though she was afraid to meet his gaze. "No, it's a part of you, I accept you as you are, blood magic and all."

"Good, because the damn thing just chose you to be my teacher." Rylee said in annoyance. She swore in her head in every language she knew. She made a bet that very first night, that Mahal dropped her in the lap of the teacher and sure enough, it was Kili. Thorin began to chuckle on the far side of camp and Rylee shot him a dark glare.

"What?" Kili asked in surprise. He knew she kept saying that she needed to find a teacher, but he never really thought that the bow was truly going to choose the teacher for her.

Rylee sighed heavily and looked at the bow with love and longing and no small amount of defeat as she spoke grudgingly, "Kili, will you teach me to use my bow?"

"I will if you will forgive me for what I said," Kili whispered, he wished that she was looking at him with those loving eyes, and not some piece of layered wood and string. He wanted her eyes on him, her hands on him. He wanted her in his lap and in his arms. He wanted to take back everything he said the night before. He wanted to rewind the evening back to when he held her against him, her entire body shivering in response to him. Again he wished he hadn't messed everything up.

"First off," Rylee said her face serious and grave, "I am nothing like Morgoth or any of his dark followers, Sauron included. Do not ever compare me to any of them ever again. I don't care that my soul has grown dark, I will fight it until I breathe my last breath. If you ever, and I mean ever say something like that to me again, I will take my whip to your hide, are we clear?"

"Yes," Kili said simply, handing her the bow. She took it, her hand brushing against his, and as it did white sparks lit her deep grey eyes.

"Good. Second of all, I am a Hybrid, I am actually proud of that," She told him finally meeting his eyes, there was a deep and ancient sadness there, that he only saw once before, when she was grieving for men lost in battles. "For you to belittle what I am, that hurt. I am the Daughter of Mahal, a War Maiden of The Valar, I use magic differently than other elves and dwarves. Can you truly accept that?"

"I can accept that." Kili swore and gave her a smile, "I honestly think your magic is beautiful and passionate. Will you please accept my apology?"

Her face remained calm and cool, but at least she was no longer glaring at him, "Aye, I will accept your apology, but I swear Kili, if you ever do that again, I will take it out on your hide in training. You will not walk without bruises for a week straight. Do I make myself clear?"

"It will never happen again, I swear it!" Kili grinned, he would take whatever punishment she handed out as long as she would forgive him for being such an idiot. "So shall we practice tonight when we make camp?"

"I suppose so," Rylee said quietly, she strapped the bow to the packs on the back of Mikhaul and climbed into the saddle. "You better get going Kili, or you will be left behind."

Kili looked around and sure enough everyone else was up on their ponies, watching and waiting for them to join the company. He glanced back at her and asked, "What about you?"

"Thorin!" Rylee called across the camp, he met her eyes in question. "Mikhaul and I are headed south, we will find you later."

"Again, Rylee?" Thorin asked with a note of frustration. He did tell her he wanted her to report to him when she was leaving. Finally he nodded, realizing that she was actually following an order. For once.

"Always, Ugshar, always," Rylee said as Mikhaul trotted past the others. She barely made the edge of the group before they broke into a gallop. Chasing down the darkness once again.

* * *

><p>It was a long day on the road, she felt a presence to the south of them, but when she searched in that direction it disappeared, whatever it was, it was being elusive. It puzzled her, even Mikhaul was spooked by the oddness of the presence and Mikhaul did not get spooked. The feeling of familiarity did not go away, it settled into the pit of her stomach like a heavy meal and it was not going away. When she rejoined the group she reported back to Thorin, and he could tell immediately that she was still on edge. She warned him that something big was tracking them. It was not much longer before Thorin decided to break for camp. There were fewer trees than he preferred and it was a little too high in altitude but they were on the outskirts of Bree. Thorin decided to bypass the village to avoid unnecessary expenses, much to the chagrin of Bilbo who wanted to buy a new pipe and some pipe-weed. The location of their camp meant greater exposure and greater chances of danger.<p>

As soon as camp was set and their chores completed Kili was at Rylee's side waiting for her to grab her bow. He looked at her, holding the bow lovingly in her hands. "No arrows, my lady?"

"Nay, I need to find the right materials before I can make the arrows," She looked at him thoughtfully for a long moment, he grabbed his satchel and they moved away from the camp towards an old dead tree that stood alone. "Maybe when I have time and access to a forge, I will be able to make some. I was thinking trilobate tips. As a marksman, I would love your thoughts on your preference?"

"Armor piercing tips? You don't think that is a little overkill?" Kili's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Well, no, I am a War Maiden, I don't hunt game, I go to battle," Rylee reasoned, meeting his gaze evenly. He could not believe it, she was perfectly serious. "I suppose I could make a few bodkin tips as well, but considering that I usually battle Orcs, Wargs, Balrogs and Dragons, I figured that the trilobate tips would make the most sense and be the most versatile."

"Fair enough, I like both, they each have their uses." Kili smiled, he felt honored that she was asking for his opinion on the matter, when she was the weapon maker. "What kind of shaft and feathers were you thinking of using?"

"Not certain, perhaps you can help me find some suitable materials." Rylee said softly. Normally she would do all the work, from beginning to end, but for some reason it was important that Kili be part of the making of the arrows. She didn't know why, but it felt right to offer him the opportunity to help make her arrows. Maybe she was offering him a way to make it up to her, to set things right.

"Well let's go then, you will use mine, until we make your arrows." They stood in an open area, with one tree near the center. She loved the way he said 'we' making a fire curl to life within her. She mentally kicked herself, he insulted her last night and broke her heart and just because he gave her a public apology of his own accord, she was head over heels again? She was such a patsy! Talk about door-mat behavior! He handed her a singular arrow. "Hit the tree."

"Right," Rylee rolled her eyes, it was obvious what the target was, that was not the problem. She looked at the arrow in his hand and looked him in the eye, "Before we start, I want you to use my bow, you hit the target."

"Why? You are the one who needs lessons," Kili arched a brow at her.

She handed him the bow and the arrow. "Just do it. You will see why later, please just fire the arrows, you will understand in a moment."

She was nearly begging him to do as she asked so he took the weapon in his hands. The flex of the bow was astounding, the string taut to perfection. Nocking the arrow and finding the sweet spot, he could find no fault with the draw. He kissed the shaft, took his aim and one at a time he fired four of his arrows into the tree. All of them grouped together with precision. He grabbed the arrows and came back, handing her the bow and one of the arrows.

"The bow is perfect, like its name. Now will you aim for the tree?" Kili asked her, he was becoming slightly annoyed. Why was she stalling? Was it her intention to make him jealous of her craftsmanship? If it was she succeeded, her bow was as true as its name.

She took the bow from him and the arrow and inclined her head in a slight nod then she adjusted her stance, nocked the arrow on the string and pulled it taut. She took a breath steadying herself, aiming straight for the tree and released. Sure enough the arrow curled right.

"How the hell?" Kili muttered as he stood beside her, assessing her form and stance. Everything was perfect, she had great form. "Well let's see if we can find a way to get your arrows out of the field and into the target."

Kili came up beside her, told her what adjustments to make, and she did as asked. Then she released the next arrow and it landed right beside the first. Thus, her problem, regardless of what she did the arrow always pulled to the right. It didn't seem to matter what corrections she made to her stance, the bow, the arrow or for the wind currents. The arrow always curled right.

"They are all going to end up there, Kili, no matter what you do. They always land to the right of the target." Rylee felt a momentary pang of shame and a little more than sadness as she glared at the two arrows that sat embedded in the field. She showed him, altering her aim deeply to the left, sure enough the arrow curved, disobeying all laws of archery and landed with the others.

"I have never seen anything like that before," Kili said softly, handing her yet another arrow. They all landed together in the field, no matter the adjustments made. He handed her another and she rolled her eyes and growled. Instead of aiming at the tree, she shot it straight up into the air. It too landed with the others.

Kili chuckled softly, as he came up beside her, "Perhaps if we draw it together."

"Wh - what?" Rylee asked startled as Kili handed her another arrow taking a matching stance right behind her. Head to toe, Kili fitted himself against her, her breath caught in her throat. She froze, suddenly not sure as to what they were doing. She kept thinking of him holding her at the river the night before, and a painful desire curled through her like smoke. 'Stupid pushover! He will take advantage of you!' her brain raged at her, but her heart just refused to stop its heavy pace, and her body warmed instead of cooled. Reckless bloody fool that she was she wanted him to stay close.

"Relax, Rylee, I promise not to bite." He whispered in her ear causing a shiver to run down her spine. He pulled her hair off to one side, away from her face, so that he could help her make her corrections. It was as soft as he remembered, thick and heavy. In a moment of weakness he buried his face in the thick waves, sunlight, honeysuckle, roses and lilacs scented her hair. Unique like her. He felt and heard her breath catch in her throat at the extremely intimate contact, but she did not protest.

His left hand rose to the handle of the bow, his hand brushed hers, and he adjusted her grip. He left his hand on hers, his other hand was on her right. Together they pulled the bow string back, taking aim. Kili felt a tremor pass through Rylee as she aimed at the tree, trying to relax her stance. Everything she was doing was right, but he could tell that there was something off. "What are you thinking about Rylee?"

"The target, I am thinking of the target." She whispered, there was something in her tone that bothered him, she sounded so sad. "It will still land with the others, Kili. It does every time."

"Rylee?" Kili whispered in her ear and felt her shiver against him. Hmm he liked that reaction from her, he wanted to make her shiver for him again.

"Hmm?" She was trying her hardest to remain focused on the task, and to stop focusing on Kili's body pressed up behind her.

"Stop thinking about the target," Kili said softly, another tremor passed through her. He felt it wherever they were touching, "Think of something else."

At that moment the only thing she could think of was the way they seemed to fit perfectly against each other. The way his breath teased the bared expanse of skin at her collar, and the way his voice made her shiver. They released the arrow. It hit the center of the tree. She didn't even see it. "Kili."

"What were you thinking of Rylee?" Kili asked softly. She was barely breathing, barely moving. She was silent for so long that he was sure she was not going to answer him.

What could she say! If she said anything at all it could ruin whatever shaky friendship they were creating. She was certain that he was just flirting with her, which signified interest, but not anything more profound. She knew this and yet she stood there in an open field with Kili's arms around her, teaching her how to properly fire an arrow and felt a singular blatant attraction to him. Damn it! She was such a doormat! 'Bite your tongue Rylee and say nothing!' she thought. Suddenly the words tumbled out of their own volition, "You, I was thinking of you."

She was such a lovesick fool. She closed her eyes and waited, and cursed her idiocy, sure that he would step away. Until she felt his mouth on her shoulder just above her collar, he made a heated trail to the soft sensitive spot behind her ear, and she gasped in pleasure. The bow was gone, he turned her towards him, and pulled her closer. Rylee looked up into his dark chocolate eyes and she was swept away. She felt his lips light across hers, she gasped in surprise and he deepened the kiss. His tongue met hers, circling gently. She matched him tentatively. Her heart racing, her mind spinning, she felt like she was being swept away. It was everything she could have dreamed of for a first kiss.

She seemed unschooled as he kissed her, every move he made, she copied and he realized that this was her first kiss. That thought made him wildly happy, and scared the living daylight out of him at the same time. He pulled away, breaking the kiss. He looked at the courting braid in her hair. How was it possible that she wore that braid and was so unschooled in kissing, of all things? A courting couple was allowed to kiss! Not that he minded, hell no, he was over the moon that she let him kiss her. He just wondered why her suitor did not. Whoever he was, he must have been out of his mind not to.

"We should go back to camp, it grows late and they will be missing us," Kili whispered, not quite wanting to let her go.

"Aye," She breathed but didn't move a muscle, she was too afraid that her knees would collapse beneath her. All she knew was that he was her One, and he kissed her. This could turn out really, really good or really, really bad for her. It all depended on the handsome dwarf prince holding her in his arms.

"Come, let's collect the arrows." Kili stepped back, watching with amusement as the focus returned to her eyes. He very much enjoyed the reaction she was having in response to him. Together they moved towards the arrows, Rylee towards the ones in the field and Kili towards the tree. He joined her after pulling his arrow from the tree and together they gathered the rest.

Twice their hands met reaching for the same arrow, and both times Rylee froze under the contact. Her heart racing, her entire body heating, she was turning into a puddle of thoughtless mush. She needed to slow this down, she needed space to think this through. He hurt her and she let him kiss her? Where were her thoughts taking her? She was on a bloody quest! She was going to die again, and she could not, would not allow him to get close to her, just to die on him. She could not hurt him like that! She would rather give in to the fade than allow him to hurt because of her. Why couldn't she be a normal dwarrowdam and pine for a lost love? No! She just had to be a hybrid! Fall head over heels like a dwarf and fade, heartbroken like an elf.

Regardless, she was betrothed to someone else, it didn't matter that ages had passed. Unless of course customs had changed, she and Thorin never really discussed courting and marriage rituals, it seemed unnecessary. It was now the Third Age and she had no idea what the rituals were. She only knew of the ones of the First Age, and only because she lived them. She was witness and matron of honor for Durin's wife, Eridith. She stood beside her and helped weave her hand-fasting ribbon over their blood-bound hands.

Her friend Jovina was the one to teach her the courting rituals of the First Age, mostly so Rylee could avoid the pitfalls and escape any kind of entrapment. Not that it helped. She was trapped into a courtship she didn't want, it didn't matter that she was blackmailed into it, or that Oropher held hostage the Star of Ilúvatar. Elves did not age, so if he still lived, and he was not married, she was obligated to her first suitor. Regardless of whether she desired the suit or not, she was courted to someone else and unless legalities changed, it would stay that way.

She made it back to camp just as dinner was being served. Rylee was lost in thought as she put her bow beside Mikhaul and joined Thorin just out of reach of the fire. It just seemed to be the place she gravitated to, and she wondered what had changed. Was it just that he was the one here that she knew best? He did help to raise her, so it would make sense. She sat down and stared into the flames of the fire. Thinking of Kili's kiss, what it meant to her.

She looked around the camp and watched the interactions, Dwalin and Balin were sitting nearby Thorin, in fact Dwalin had made space for her to sit between them. Dori was hovering over Ori and keeping a watchful eye over Nori. Oin and Gloin were sitting close to the fire, Oin was checking his pack for herbs that he needed, and Gloin was looking at his locket again. Bombur was hovering by the fire, filling bowls with stew, and Bifur was whittling something new out of a fresh chunk of wood. She wondered vaguely where the last project went. So far he had given her a pair of musical spoons, which she played for hours, humming and chanting a variety of tunes to herself, and a whistle. The company was surprised when she was able to make several different notes from the small piece of wood and play a simple child's tune. She noticed Fili was oddly missing and Kili had not followed her into camp.

"I take it your lesson went well?" Bofur said as he handed her a bowl filled with stew, a cheeky grin on his face, then he continued, "Since you and Kili have kissed and made up, I was hoping you might be forgiving enough to accept our apologies about the new spiders."

"What spiders?" Rylee nearly dropped the bowl as she met his gaze and followed it to her bedroll. She expected more puppets of the horrible arachnids. Instead she spied a beautiful wooden flute. "Oh!"

"Just kidding lass," Bofur started to laugh as she flushed in embarrassment, "Bifur and I wanted to make it up to you for scaring you like we did. Since you enjoyed the spoons and whistle so much we figured you might like an actual instrument."

"Thank you, very much, both of you," Rylee's heart was touched, and she could not stop the small smile that spread across her face, "I love music, Nienna taught me to play."

"Really? Which instrument?" Bofur asked with interest, she knew from the past few nights that he held a great love for music and song. He often kept the group entertained by singing drinking and travelling songs.

"Well all of them, but I am only good at a few of them." Rylee smiled looking back at the flute. "I am better at strings than winds, so I am afraid that the flute was not one of them, I will have to practice a bit before I can play you anything."

"Well little dove, I am a master, if you need any help, just ask and I will teach you anything you wish to know," Bofur grinned as she smiled back.

Rylee took a bite of stew and thanked Bombur again for the fare, as she did every night. The heavyset dwarf just grinned sheepishly and turned away. Thorin watched the evenings interactions with interest and was amused by how everyone seemed to be settling in around Rylee. Over the course of the day, there were discussions and debates amongst the company about her magic, and the fact that without a doubt she had proven that she was the daughter of Mahal. They were all of the same mindset, how to protect someone who did not want or need protecting? Fili was the one to come up with the answer, 'you don't,' he said, 'grandmother always said that a War Maiden should be at your side or protecting your back, but never beneath you, or behind you.' Aye, Rylee was very much like Thorin's mother, and she would never allow a Dwarf to protect her when she could protect herself.

"How did it go?" Thorin asked her as she set her spoon back into her bowl.

"The arrows still prefer the field to the target," Rylee grumbled softly, as she took a spoonful of her stew.

"Even after your lesson with Kili?" Fili asked coming up beside them, taking a nearby seat with his own bowl of food.

"I hit the target once, when I was distracted," Rylee told him sardonically, her eyes flashing over to the aforementioned Dwarf as he joined his brother, and a blush rose on her cheeks. She needed to be more careful or he would drive her to distraction. She would find a way to distance herself from him. She had to.

"Must have been quite the distraction," Fili smirked, watching the heat rise in the War Maiden's face. He witnessed that moment of distraction. Kili embracing her in the field, she didn't even look at the target and somehow the arrow hit its mark. Thorin was right, Rylee was falling head over heels for Kili, and Ki definitely wanted the little dwarrowdam. His uncle had every reason to be concerned. Courting customs decreed that it was up to the woman to make the first move, but so far, Rylee was acting more like a skittish filly, rather than a courting dwarrowdam. Not that Fili blamed her after what Kili did, and Kili, fool that he was, was pursuing her anyways. The question was, would Rylee pursue her interest in Kili or would she push him away, like she did everyone else?

"Aye, must have," Kili said with a knowing smirk as he took a bite from his own bowl. All he could think of was finding time to practice again with her again. Courting braid or not, she let him kiss her, that must mean something, right?

"So you have a special someone?" Fili asked her from his spot beside Kili. He knew how much that braid bothered his brother, and he figured that he would do his best to help his little brother. It made no sense for Rylee to be wearing someone else's courting braid when she was obviously interested in Kili. Perhaps that was what was holding her back. Rylee looked up at him from her stew and quirked a brow. "The courting braid."

Her eyes darkened, if it was possible her face became even harder as she looked back down at her stew, stirring her meal like it somehow insulted her, "More like a pain in my arse that will never die."

"If you dislike him that much, why did you allow the braid?" Kili asked, shooting a glare at the offensive braid.

"I didn't, you could say it was an arranged courtship. I woke up in a healing tent after battle and found it in my hair. I was livid, and wanted to remove it immediately, but certain circumstances prevented me from doing so," Rylee could remember waking up, exhausted and in pain. Like she had been hit by a Balrog. Her eyes grainy and sore, like a grinding stone. She pulled her hair out of her face and found the weight of a new braid. One look at it and she was shrieking mad. She tried tearing it out when a hand stopped her. A pale Elven hand.

"What circumstances?" Thorin asked looking at her. The Rylee he remembered would never keep the braid if she didn't want it.

"My jewel was stolen from me and the thieves refused to return it unless I agreed to a public courtship and marriage," Rylee said lowly, she tried to keep the anger out of her voice but was failing miserably. She was told about the stone, about the bargain he had for her. At first she refused their deal, and then came the threats, Oropher showed it to her one last time before hiding it in his pocket. She had no choice but to accept. "If I removed the braid they threatened to destroy the jewel. Kaia tried to help me get it back, but they hid it and we were unable to find it. I had to finish my quest without it."

"The jewel, you mean the Star of Ilúvatar?" Thorin looked at her questioningly and she nodded slightly.

"The jewel missing from your rose?" Kili asked with surprise, he remembered her saying that it was broken. She didn't say that it was intentionally done. Again she nodded her affirmation to his question.

"Even then my advisors insisted I keep the braid," Rylee growled in frustration. The bloody bastards all knew that she was being blackmailed and they did nothing! Only one, an elf-maid, stood for her and demanded the stone be relinquished. They did not listen to her, they did not listen to Olorin when he petitioned for her and they certainly didn't listen to Rylee.

"Why?" Fili asked, looking at the girl who was giving a death glare to her bowl.

"Why else would a passel of buffoons push a dwarrowdam into courting a pompous prissy elf?" Rylee said glumly, she felt Thorin stiffen beside her. "They told me it was to keep the horde of others off my back, but really it was to create a deeper alliance with a High Elf. Now I am stuck with the damn thing until either I get the Star back or I can find a plausible way out. I don't know about today's courting customs, but in the First Age, this bead is binding, unless a reasonable accord can be met for disseverment of the bond. Like Bilbo's piece of paper."

Fili and Kili exchanged a glance, they motioned for the others to gather around, and Rylee and Thorin watched bewildered at the sudden secret discussion. Finally the little gathering broke and the entire company with the exception of Bilbo and Gandalf surrounded them. Thorin looked on in amusement. Fili to Thorin's right and Kili to her left, the others sat in a large circle, the eldest closest to Thorin and the youngest to the far side of the circle. Rylee recognized the Dwarven council immediately, her eyebrows rose in unmasked surprise, "What are you doing?"

"It's been two ages, Queen Rylee, and you have new advisors," Bofur said from his seat across from her, "I officially call this council meeting to order."

Rylee tried to keep her face straight as she looked around the circle, but a small smirk quirked her lips as she tried not to laugh at her new advisors. Ori was obviously the secretary, Gloin the treasurer, Bofur the head chair and Bifur the co-chair. Balin, Dwalin, Fili and Kili were advisors. Bifur knocked his hand on the bottom of a pot to open the session, and Rylee smirked and said, "Council is in session. What motions are to be tabled?"

"I move to advise the queen to remove the offensive elf braid." Kili said leaning towards her, bumping her shoulder with his. He wanted it gone. If she hated her intended as much as she seemed to, it had no place in her hair.

"I second that motion." Fili said from the other side of her. No one should be forced into accepting something they did not want, a courting braid especially. And for the elf to touch her hair without her permission, it was unforgivable.

"What arguments do you have to maintain your petition?" Rylee said stoically.

"It is against Dwarven custom and law, in this day and age, to force a dwarrowdam into a marriage. Any union between a dwarrowdam and a dwarf must be willingly accepted by the dwarrowdam, especially arranged marriages." Balin offered from a legal standpoint. Rylee looked at him skeptically. "In our culture it is expected that the Dwarrowdam make the petition for courtship, not the dwarf, since there are so few Dwarrowdams, it is the best way."

"Furthermore, that bead is not a contractual signifier. It is considered a promise or a token, but it is neither legal nor binding. The courtship can be broken at any time if either party feels the union is unsatisfactory." Dori added to Balin's argument. "A written contract must be signed and upheld for any marriage contract to be binding. As it is, you have no contract; you are only courting and not actually married. He cannot hold you to a promise made in protest."

Gloin looked at her from his seat and smiled, "Has the groom paid for your dowry, to either your father or your guardian? Has he built you a home in which to live? These are also part of our current customs and decrees for marriage."

"Wow," Rylee said looking at the circle around her, "you have certainly found a way to complicate the most simple of unions."

"I take it that the courtships of the First Age were much more quaint?" Thorin asked from beside her, his voice was quiet, but it carried. Rylee nodded but said nothing. He was fully aware of the courting customs of the First Age, Mahal once told him what they were, and that Rylee thought they were quite beautiful.

"Shall we return to the matter at hand? We still have a courting braid to resolve before we go anywhere near marriage contracts." Bofur said with at wink to Rylee from the far side of the circle, the Head Chair bringing order back to the council. She blushed lightly and nodded for him to continue.

"Six thousand years have passed," Dori argued for her, "the likelihood of the bond still being valid is slim. With all the wars over the past ages surely the elf is long dead."

"And if the elf still lives? Unless he has fallen in battle, he is immortal," Rylee asked her eyebrow rose in query. They didn't have to do this, Rylee knew, the braid was her own burden to bear but these dwarves were trying to cheer her, so she went along with it. "Is there anyone here who holds evidence that the suit is no longer valid? Or any evidence that said Elf no longer wants the suit?"

"The Elf be damned!" Thorin said from beside her, glowering at her from her right. The daughter of Mahal should not be courting any elves, she was a dwarrowdam, and she would marry a Dwarf. He was rather surprised that his nephews created an advisory council for her, and even more shocked to hear her play along with their ruse. His response made the smirk on her lips grow into a small lopsided smile. Then Thorin added a legal concession, "Besides the missing dowry, he never had your guardian's permission to court you."

Rylee shook her head and said with a resigned sigh, "It is a good argument but what of the stone? If there is a chance to retrieve it - ."

"Oropher is dead, Rylee. He fell in the War of the Last Alliance. The likelihood of finding the Star is slim at best," Gandalf interrupted from the other side of the camp, he knew exactly who the elf was and why Rylee disliked him. She had good reason to be against courting him. If there was a way to get her out of it he would do his best to help it along, "and your betrothed is long married and has an heir."

Thorin clenched his fist in rage, he knew exactly who her betrothed was. Thorin may have grown up within a mountain, but he knew more than enough of Arda's history to know who Oropher was and who his son was. Mahal, his family had more than enough history with that blasted Elf, but he said nothing.

"Really?" Rylee's eyes opened wide as she looked up at Gandalf, her expression was guarded but hopeful. At his nod she sat as straight as she could, and looked around the Dwarven circle and she asked formally. "Right, that would do it. The motion stands in session, all in favor of removing the odious braid?"

"Aye!" There was a resounding shout, and Rylee's lips lifted in a small smile. Even Bilbo and Gandalf answered.

"No point in asking the other. Motion passed." Rylee said. Her fingers found the braid and she grabbed the clasp, and pulled it from her hair. She dug her fingers into the braid and it unraveled. "So, can we close the council or is there more to be discussed?"

"What are you going to do with the bead?" Thorin asked from beside her. Looking at the small diamond-like clasp she held in her fingers. The pure starlight crystalline gem had seemed familiar, and now he knew why. If he could he would crush it for her, if she wanted it done.

"I am going to hit the elf with it when next I see him," Rylee said pinching it between her fingers, "Right between the eyes, right after I take back what he stole from me."

"That's quite the hatred of elves you have there," Balin said with an odd look. He glanced at Thorin when he said it. Rylee looked thoughtfully between Thorin and Balin, apparently there was still no love for the Elves among Dwarves.

"Oh, I don't have a problem with elves. Only one in particular," Rylee said coldly, an old rage burning darkly in her heart. She adjourned the meeting quickly, not wanting to have to explain further. "I hereby call this meeting at an end."

"Session closed." Bofur grinned and Bifur knocked on the bottom of the pot. They stayed where they were and finished their meal in cheerful companionship.

"Feel better?" Thorin asked bumping her shoulder softly.

"A weight has been lifted," Rylee nodded, enjoying her meal, thinking of the day she could confront the owner of the bead, and take back what was hers. It was her bet that before Oropher passed, he gave her jewel to his son, it was a priceless gem of sparkling white light and Rylee knew that Thranduil had a great love for such gems. He would have kept it and she would get it back.

Kili felt better too, the damnable braid was gone. He could kiss her without thinking of some other having a claim on her. What in the world was he thinking? Since when did he have this obsessive need to court her? He didn't court ladies, flirted, chased and sometimes took lovers, but he did not court ladies. He did want her though. She could be his. If he made an advance would she ask to court him? She seemed a bit dismayed at their current customs. That thought made him wonder if she would follow First Age or Third Age customs for courting. What were the customs of the First Age?


	9. Mithril Queen

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

**Many thanks for the review Axle Beau. ro781727 your f****eedback is always greatly appreciated.**

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**Love you all so much!**

Chapter 9

The Mithril Queen

May 8

"Kili likes you," Mikhaul said as they headed back to the company on the tenth afternoon. They were once again hunting after the elusive beast that was following them. It was a daily dance, Rylee and Mikhaul would chase the beast and the creature would evade them. Rylee was frustrated and angry. The familiarity of the creature added to the awful dreams of red eyes and twined bodies of green and gold, and silver and blue. It was making her prickly and bitter. Even Bofur's teasing around the camp fire wasn't enough to get Rylee to relax.

"I like Kili too, what is your point Mikhaul?" Rylee asked, preoccupied with her thoughts.

Mikhaul snorted in frustration, she had been trying to talk to Rylee about this for days, but the stubborn Dwarrowdam would either change the subject or she would shut it down as quickly as possible. As many times as Mikhaul would suggest that Rylee give up her grudge against Kili, Rylee would say she held no grudge and drop the conversation. If Mikhaul suggested that Rylee let Kili become close to her Rylee put up defensive walls so fast that Mikhaul wondered what was wrong with her friend. Snuffling in frustration, she decided that today she was going to get some answers. Completely unabashed with the subject Mikhaul said, "He wants to mate you, Rylee."

Rylee coughed in surprise, "He what?"

Mikhaul tossed her head in annoyance and repeated herself, "He likes you, and he wants to mate you."

"Just because Kili kissed me once does not mean he wants to mate me! And we are Dwarves, not horses, we do not just mate! There are courting customs to be followed," Rylee said in frustration, she was having trouble concentrating on the sense of imminent darkness while discussing this topic with Mikhaul. Exactly what she did not need; Kili causing her distraction when he was not even near her, but the damn Eruquine would not shut up about him. "I don't even know the courting customs of this time and other than the female making the first move, I don't know if there is something else that needs to be done."

"So, you would court him then? If you knew the rituals?" Mikhaul asked, happy that she was finally getting somewhere with the stubborn War Maiden.

Rylee shook her head in denial, "I didn't say that!"

Mikhaul snorted again dropping her head, "But you like him, why not court him?"

"Because he already hurt me once, and I am already a fool enough to fall for him," Rylee groaned in frustration.

"You mean fall on him," Mikhaul corrected her, not understanding.

"No I mean fall for him, I am afraid I like him much more than I am willing to admit," Rylee sighed, finally saying the words out loud, "Kili is my One."

"What is a One?" Mikhaul asked, horses didn't have these things, and Rylee never spoke of these things when they were together. They usually just got into trouble together or played pranks on each other.

"My One," Rylee repeated rubbing her chest as her heart hurt as she thought about Kili, "My soul mate, the other half of my heart."

"So, why not court him?" Mikhaul said softly, her voice was gentle and cajoling, "Are you, no, it cannot be. You are afraid?

"Drop it Mikhaul," Rylee warned, damn right she was afraid. What if he was only feeling lust? What if he didn't like her the same way and he was just teasing her? What if she tried courting him and she screwed it all up. She had never courted anyone, yes she had been courted, but Thranduil hated her and only agreed to the marriage because his father wanted her, her magic and her title. She knew nothing of love, and here she was fumbling around in lovesick frustration, without a clue.

"No," Mikhaul said stubbornly, "Why don't you court him?"

"I am not talking about this anymore," Rylee said in frustration. Her fears were valid, especially with how fast she was falling for him. She didn't want to be hurt again.

"You are afraid!" Mikhaul said in shock, "Rylee Emitheral the mighty daughter of Aulë is afraid of a boy!"

"Leave it alone, Mikhaul!" Rylee growled in frustration.

"Stubborn dwarf!" Mikhaul tossed her head in annoyance. Mikhaul decided to run flat out. She was going back to the Company, they were not following this stupid presence today. Rylee needed a break and she needed to lighten up. She never laughed anymore.

"No more stubborn than you are, you mule headed Eruquine!" Rylee snapped hotly they were headed toward a massive green space, she was so frustrated with the horse that she truly was not paying any attention to where they were headed until it was way too late. Mikhaul was speeding up and not slowing down, and Rylee dug in her knees trying to hold on. "Mikhaul stop!"

"You have become a boring prude Rylee, you need to lighten up!" Mikhaul told her as she came to a dead stop, lowering her head, planting her front feet and kicking her heels. Rylee was unseated and flew high and long over her head. Rylee screamed in terror as she sailed through the air her arms waving wildly in the air as she came down in a thick, wet, slimy, smelly slough.

She struggled to right herself in the water and push herself to the surface, but it was like swimming through lava, so soupy and thick. She tried not to gag at the taste of the gunk that wound up in her mouth, until she was able to swim upwards and rid herself of it. Finally she broke the surface and spewed and spit and gagged trying to get the vile mucous out of her mouth. Finally she took a deep breath gagging at the stench that caught in her nose, and the gunk she accidently snorted in as she took a deep breath of needed air. She started coughing and sputtering trying to get stuff off of her face and out of her hair as she treaded water. Her boots were so heavy, that she was kicking hard to stay afloat.

She wiped her face with the back of her hand and only smeared more gunk across her nose. She could see things dangling off of her head, and she reached up to pull them off and proceeded to make them more stuck. Frustrated and annoyed, she made her way to the shore, swimming slowly through the goop that surrounded her. The more she moved, the more it coated her, getting under her layers and filling gaps in her clothes that she wasn't aware she had. The plants wrapped tighter and tighter around her until they broke from their roots and tied around her. Her boots filled with sludge and became even heavier, slowing down her progress to shore. She could feel things rubbing against her bare skin on her hands and at the top of her tunic. "Oh! There is something else in my clothes, and it is not me!"

"Eww, gross Mikhaul! That was rude!" Finally she dragged herself out and sat down on the shore, green and brown water poured out of her heavy leather clothes. She shook her sleeves and out dropped a couple of small minnows and a fat little green frog.

"Oh, Look Rylee," Mikhaul said dropping her head and turning it so she could look at the frog, "You have a frog to go with your lily pad!"

Rylee chuckled and flung some muck off of her sleeve toward the horse and was rewarded instead with a heavy glop of muck that splooshed a foot away from its target. Seeing and hearing the sucking wet sound as it landed made Rylee laugh, and Mikhaul snort. Rylee bent to pick up the fat little amphibian and it jumped at the last moment hitting her in the eye, Rylee fell over backwards and Mikhaul snorted and whinnied in laughter.

Rylee looked up at the blue sky for a long moment, feeling a little chagrined at the mess that she was in. She sighed and was about to get up when something fat and wet splatted on her face. She tried not to scream as the recognized the frog looking down at her from its place on her mouth and nose. Mikhaul was howling with uncontrollable laughter, Rylee could hear it ringing through her mind as her best friend enjoyed Rylee's predicament.

"Corock." The frog said with a great amount of superiority as he looked down at her.

Rylee grabbed the frog carefully and sat up looking down at it. "Carock to you too, Frog."

Climbing back to her feet, Rylee lifted the frog over her head and placed it gingerly on the lily pad that was now well tangled into her hair. She looked at Mikhaul, "So? How does it look? Do you think Kili would like me now?"

Mikhaul snorted, howling with laughter, nickering away at Rylee plastered with an assortment of slime and plant life. She looked like a bog man. "We should go ask him."

Rylee tried to pull some of the plants off of her, but they were tied tight, she could barely pluck the leaves off much less the long fronds of seaweed that clung to her. As much as she tried to get it off, the debris was reluctant to move, she smeared more and more sludge onto her face than she got off, and the more she tugged at the reeds and ferns and seaweed, the more tangled around her it became.

"Um, Mikhaul?" Rylee said with a high pitched sneeze as a fern fell forward and tickled her nose. She pulled on it, and it became a permanent fixture in her face, setting off several more sneezes. "We have a problem."

"What's that love?" Mikhaul said sniggering at her, "Get cleaned up so we can go."

"That's the problem," Rylee said tugging at another reed, only succeeding in pulling it tighter around her. She tried to get at her throwing blades, but the vines wrapped around her legs made even that impossible. She tried to pull her axes and they were wedged tight. Rylee whimpered in frustration. "It's not coming off. Is there a river nearby? Maybe I can get it to loosen up with some fresh water."

"No there isn't," Mikhaul said lifting her nose to the air, scenting for clean water nearby.

Rylee whimpered again, in disgust, "You didn't think this through much did you?"

"I am a horse, Rylee, we don't need to bathe," Mikhaul chuckled watching as Rylee turned in a circle trying to pull off another dangling reed.

"You also don't have hands, we are going to need help," Rylee said with a small sigh, admitting defeat. "Do you think I could scare Kili like this? I mean if we snuck up on him?"

"It is possible," Mikhaul sniggered at the thought, "Do you want to try?"

"Sure, we might as well enjoy the predicament while we can right?" Rylee smirked with a wry edge to her tone, "You did say I needed to lighten up."

"Up top then, Rylee, let's do this," Mikhaul said with a toss to her head. "Aren't you going to leave your friend behind?"

"Oh! The frog, is he still there?" Rylee bent low and tried to shoo it off, and Mikhaul laughed as the Frog struggled to stay on her head.

"I think it likes you Rylee, he isn't going anywhere," Mikhaul snorted.

"And I can't see him to remove him." Rylee replied, looking at Mikhaul. She climbed on the horse, "I guess he is coming with us for a bit. I hope we camp somewhere near fresh water."

"Me too," Mikhaul said with a snort, realizing just how badly the slough water reeked now that Rylee was on her back, "Because you stink!"

Rylee laughed and put her feet into the stirrups, "And whose fault is that?"

As luck would have it, they were not far from the others, and Rylee was still making splurching noises with every movement, which made a surprise attack on the company impossible. Not that it would have mattered, because as they rode, Rylee contracted a case of the hiccups from the slough water she swallowed. The taste of slime and mud on her tongue along with the gait of Mikhaul turned her stomach making every hiccup nearly unbearable. They came up just behind Fili and Kili, who for some reason were unaware of their presence when Rylee, unsuccessfully tried to hide a loud, "Hiccup!"

Both turned in surprise and hollered when they saw her there, Rylee would have laughed but she hiccupped again. Mikhaul however was nickering and prancing in mirth, making it harder for Rylee to stay atop the horse. Kili and Fili burst out laughing and the rest of the company turned to see what was going on, halting the procession. "Bofur, look! Mikhaul's captured a Bog Beast!"

"Nice hat!" Kili said trying to stop laughing at Rylee's expense. Her black leathers were colored brown and green with viscous slime, there were ferns, lily pads, flowers, cat tails, reeds and seaweed sticking out of her clothes, her hair, in her weapons pack, and wrapped tightly around her entire body. He wondered for a moment how she could even breath tied up as she was.

"Oh No!" Rylee said suddenly her grey eyes going wide with horror. Kili had to suppress another chuckle. Fili didn't even try and Bofur, Bifur, Dwalin and Ori were all in throes of laughter as well as they watched the sodden dwarrowdam as she reached up for the lily pad that sat on top of her head. "Is he okay? The frog, is he still on my head?"

"He is on the lily pad," Kili nodded, his eyes sparkling with humor, Rylee's stomach clenched as she met his gaze and she smiled at him. She reached up to try to find the fat little frog.

"No! Leave him Rylee," Fili said between gasps in his laughter, "He looks happy there!'

"You could keep him as a pet and name him Ribbit," Kili nodded with a chuckle.

"Why would I name him Ribbit?" Rylee quirked a brow at him in confusion.

Kili roared with laughter leaving Fili to answer, "Because that's what frogs say."

"But frogs say Corork," Rylee said in confusion, then she did her best imitation of her frog, "Corork, corork, corork." The frog from on top of her head added in, "Corork!" as if in confirmation, making Bofur fall into another fit of laugher. "See he said Corork! You must be thinking of those Blue Mountain frogs, this one is a Beleriand tree frog, and he says Corork."

"So will you name him Corork?" Ori asked with a grin.

"I was thinking that he looks like a Thranduil," Rylee said impishly, making Dwalin and Balin chuckle quietly.

"Isn't that the name of some prince?" Ori asked quietly, "Are you wanting to turn the frog into a prince with a kiss?"

"Nah if I wanted to kiss it, I would call it Kili," Rylee quipped and grinned back. Kili wasn't sure if she was calling him a frog, or saying that she wanted to kiss him again. He hoped that it was the latter. Rylee went on musing out loud to herself, "Maybe I will call him Bob, so that when he goes swimming I can watch him bob around in the water."

Rylee started to laugh at her own pun, and Mikhaul snorted with a shake to her head. Thorin's pony cut through the others as he joined them. He looked at her disapprovingly as he took in her appearance. "Are we done fooling around Rylee? We have a lot of ground to cover before we reach camp."

"Oh Thorin, you are such a stick in the mud," Rylee said with a sigh as the group started to move forward once again.

"No Rylee, from the looks of it that would be you." Thorin quipped, his lips quirked in a smirk and a bright glint in his eye which made Rylee laugh.

Kili looked at her in surprise, it was the first time he heard her laugh, really laugh. Sure he heard her laugh once with Mikhaul way back on the first day, but since then she only chuckled or smirked when someone said something amusing. She had a pretty laugh, it was somewhere between a tinkling laugh and a robust hearty guffaw. Her grey eyes lit up with sparkling white fire, leaving him stunned. Kili wondered how it was possible for her to be beautiful covered head to toe in slime.

She reached up to stabilize the lily pad which made Fili start laughing again. She was comical, looking like a little camouflaged bush riding on the back of a massive black mare. Now that they were moving again, Rylee's branches and various debris was bouncing along with the gait of the horses walk. She looked completely ridiculous sitting there with plant life clinging to her, but she seemed in good spirits.

"So," Fili ventured, his curiosity getting the best of him, "what happened to you?"

"Oh, Mikhaul figured I should lighten up and sent me flying," Rylee said with a chuckle, trying to smear some of the slime away from her face, it was caking up and finally starting to come loose. "Who knew that slough slime is as impossible to remove as boat tar?"

"Do you need help Rylee?" Fili asked pulling gently on a fern that was hanging out of the back of her tunic.

"Actually yes! Some of these reeds are wrapped so tight I can't even access my weapons, and the slime is stuck like glue in the most awful places," Rylee grimaced as she tried to pull another glop of slime from her neck. "I will never get it off myself. The slime is everywhere and I mean, um, everywhere."

"Everywhere?" Kili grinned cheekily his eyebrows rising.

"Oh! Um, aye, everywhere," Rylee blushed bright red as she realized what she just confessed. She tried not to whimper in mortification and meekly asked, "Please help me escape these plants? I miss Yavanna, and love hugs, but this, this is too much love."

Fili and Kili both edged closer to her and started cutting away some of the tangled vegetation. The more they loosened the more she was able to help them pull away the debris. From feet to shoulders they worked their way up freeing Rylee from her mess. It was quick work until Fili tried pulling a reed from her hair and Rylee yelped in pain.

"My apologies, Rylee, that one is stuck but good!" Fili said releasing the reed and moving his pony away from Mikhaul, "On the plus side, all you have left is that reed, the fern and your lily pad hat."

"And the slime," Kili said as he pulled the last of the slough grass from her shoulders on his side of her, "but I am sure you can bathe once we reach camp."

"Oh, I hope so Kili, this is beginning to dry, and it is really itchy," Rylee sneezed as the fern dropped back into her face, hitting her on the nose. It was a high pitched squeak that sent Fili and Kili in to fits of laughter. She sneezed twice more as the tip of the fern touched her nose, again her sneezes squeaked.

"Thorin, we should stop soon," Bofur called up to the front, chuckling quietly, "Rylee is turning into a mouse."

"Bless you Rylee," Thorin called back causing the company to laugh.

"That's your sneeze?" Fili roared again, "I thought your hiccups came back!"

"I like her sneeze, it's cute," Kili said with a grin.

The fern drooped again setting off another series of sneezes which had Fili in fits of laugher, and Kili nearly in tears from laughing so hard. Rylee shoved the fern away from her face, her eyes were watering and she was sniffling. Rylee looked at Fili and deadpanned, "I think I am having a reaction to the fern."

"You think?" Fili asked incredulously. She grinned and tugged hopelessly at the fern, finally finding a way to angle it away from her face.

"Is the frog okay?" Rylee asked as she looked up trying to see. Her hands went back up to search for the little amphibian.

Kili looked at her lily pad and the frog was holding on but barely, "Come here Rylee, let's get him off of you. He looks petrified."

Rylee leaned carefully towards Kili, as gently as he possibly could he pulled the entire lily pad out of her hair with the frog sitting on it. He handed it to her and she set it in her lap moving to straighten in the saddle.

"Hold still Rylee, I will get the rest." Kili whispered softly beside her, she shivered and went still. She felt a small tug on her scalp as he worked the reed out and then his fingers combed through the slimy tresses as he pulled out the fern. Finally he pulled away, "All done."

"Thank you, Kili," Rylee said softly looking at his now slime covered hands. She turned and pulled a wash cloth from her pack and handed it to Kili, ever careful of the frog in her lap. Kili looked at the cloth and then at Rylee and her lips curved up into a smile. "I think I will need a bigger wash cloth than that, Kili. Go ahead and use it for your hands, Fili too. No point in the pair of you smelling like slough."

Both of the brothers cleaned away the slime that clung to their hands, and handed the cloth back to Rylee. She looked at it in disgust and laid it across the pommel of her saddle. She didn't want to put the grimy cloth into her pack and risk getting all of her other belongings dirty for no reason. Rylee felt irritated all over as the slime slowly dried to her skin. "I really hope for a place to bathe, I can't stand this for much longer."

They stopped for camp within the hour near a quick running stream, and the moment they stopped Rylee took her lily pad to the stream and released the frog. Then she indicated to Thorin that she was going further upstream for some privacy. He nodded and reminded her not to go overly far, she just rolled her eyes and grumbled about being a big girl and not needing a keeper. She took her satchel of personal belongings and moved swiftly away.

Kili watched her go. They had watch together, ate together, he could draw her into conversation but she rarely ever allowed him to get close enough to touch her. If he went near her, she would find something that needed to be done on the other side of the camp. Every night he set up his bedroll near hers just so he could be close to her, but she barely seemed to even give it thought. The only time when he was able to get anywhere near her, was when he was able to convince her to do a lesson with her bow, and even then she held him at a distance. Between her duties in camp, her hunting and her need for hygiene, he was only able to get her to commit to an archery lesson every third day.

It was ten days into their journey, five since he kissed her and this was the first day he had any contact with her. All because of an incident with a slough, Mikhaul took great pleasure in regaling him with some of the details of their argument as well as Rylee's not so graceful launch into the air. Kili shook his head at the mare and wondered once again why he went to the horse for advice on Rylee. She was Rylee's longest friend but the horse was, well, a horse.

"Why did she let me kiss her if she was not interested?" Kili complained to Mikhaul as he curried down one of the ponies as he watched Rylee leave camp for a bath. If she came back early enough he would ask her to practice with the bow. "It's like she sees right through me."

"She doesn't, I swear it Kili. She watches you when you are not looking," Mikhaul's voice whispered into his mind. "I think she really likes you, and it scares her."

"Why would it scare her? She has had suitors in the past," Kili reminded Mikhaul, he was completely frustrated. Nothing he was doing was working to get her attention. Upon Mikhaul's advice Kili was doing everything he could to impress Rylee, to show her that he would be a good provider, a good protector. It seemed very quaint and almost animalistic when he took time to think about it. Was he really following First Age customs, or was Mikhaul sending him on a goose chase?

"Well that's easy, you are different from them," Mikhaul nickered in response, "She has no idea how to handle someone who is actually interested in getting to know her. You are interested in the same things. You like music as she does. You even like fighting, and weapons, the bow has brought you closer."

"The only time she hits a target with an arrow is when I make physical contact with her." Kili scoffed in annoyance. "She becomes so frustrated with her aim that I have to distract her in order to stop her from thinking so much."

"Exactly, you drive her to distraction." Mikhaul said, as if it was the very answer to everything. When he didn't get it she snorted in frustration, "Think about it Kili, she is a War Maiden, she goes into battle every day. The last thing she needs is a distraction. You distract her, you terrify her in a way no one else ever has. You will have to pursue her, she is too afraid to do it."

"Do you even know Dwarf courting traditions Mikhaul? It is supposed to be the Dwarrowdam that does the courting, not the Dwarf," Kili glared at the mare, he really didn't understand what all this showcasing of his strengths had to do with anything. "She already knows my strengths, and every time I try to spend time with her she pushes me away."

"Well that is silly, how is a mare to know if you are the right mate if you do not show her your strengths?" Mikhaul shook her head and snorted again.

"First, Rylee is not a horse, she is a Dwarrowdam," Kili rolled his eyes, why was he taking advice from Mikhaul again? She was a horse, what could she possibly know about courting? "Second, if she was interested in courting she would give me a token of some sort. She is not interested, so what is the point in doing all of this?"

"You hurt her, Kili, give her time to get over it," Mikhaul snorted back at him, "You don't know her all that well, Rylee can hold a grudge for a long time, and the only time I have ever seen her forgive someone quickly is when they have proven to her that they meant their apology. You need to keep proving to her that you are worthy of being her mate. Which means you must keep showing her that you are strong enough for her."

Thorin hid the smile that was threatening to show, as he watched Kili and Mikhaul conspire once again on how to get Rylee to show interest in Kili. Thorin was still undecided if he should encourage the pair or not. Kili was Rylee's One, but if the lad was only interested in her shallowly then he would rather Kili leave the War Maiden alone. If Kili was serious, then that was another matter altogether. The fact that he was asking the horse for advice amused him and also made him think that this might not be a passing fancy.

"You look thoughtful," Gandalf said joining him with his pipe.

"Hmm, just wondering if I should put an end to this fumbling courtship, or if I should see how it plays out," Thorin said as he watched Kili and Mikhaul talking together. "Have you noticed he has been waiting to set up his bed roll until Rylee sets hers up, just so he can make sure he is close? He is attentive to her and is constantly trying to show off his ability to care for her. I swear the lad is courting her by First Age customs."

"Rylee is your god-daughter, Kili is your nephew, so they are cousins are they not?" Gandalf said shrewdly, his eyes following the younger Durin prince. "Can you even allow this?"

"They are not cousins. Kili is my nephew by blood, I have helped raise him since his father, Sevrin, passed. He is like a son to me, I love him dearly, but he is not mine," Thorin shook his head and said softly. For days he worked through these exact thoughts and emotions. Watching his student fall farther and farther under Kili's spell, he had little choice in the matter. "Rylee is not related to any of us. I was only there to teach her, train her. I care for her but only as her mentor and her guardian."

"So where does that leave you?" Gandalf asked amused as he looked at the perplexed Dwarf King, he could almost see the thoughts rolling through those bright blue eyes.

"I think that in this situation I need to step back and just be Rylee's mentor, and guardian," Thorin said as he thought it through. He furrowed his brow as he considered what he was trying to say, "She is almost fully grown, if this is what she wants then I cannot stop her."

"Considering the lineage of the Durin's and the strength of the alliances to be made," Gandalf said softly, trying to figure out what Thorin was really up to. Did he truly have Rylee's best interests at heart? "Would Fili not be the better candidate? He is more mature and he shares similar status."

"Would he?" Thorin chuckled shaking his head at the wizard, looking over at Fili, who had just returned to camp with Dwalin, carrying a clutch of rabbits for their dinner. "Have you ever seen them interact? He sees her as a bratty little sister, he even treats her as he often treats Kili. If there is love there, it is as Kin and nothing more. Status or no, Rylee would never settle for less than her One."

"I am rather surprised to hear you say that," Gandalf said with a new perspective on the often brash Durin King.

"You thought me heartless enough to keep her from her love, Gandalf? Just for the strength and power she could give to our people?" Thorin looked at the wizard feeling a little insulted, and more than a little chagrined, "If that was the case, I might as well keep her for myself."

"You don't care for her like that," Gandalf said taking the admonishment as it was meant to be.

"Exactly," Thorin said with a sharp nod, the smell of roasting rabbit was making his stomach clench in hunger. The sun would be setting soon and Rylee would be returning any moment. It was an unspoken agreement that she would be back by sundown when she went to bathe, an agreement that she herself adhered to. Thorin was sure that it was because she didn't want to worry Kili. Thorin looked at Gandalf and finished his thought, "she has unfortunately fallen for a dwarf prince, who up until recently, could not be bothered with the rites of courting, and cares more for the thrill of the hunt."

"You make it sound like it is fatal, Thorin," Gandalf chuckled quietly, "It is love."

"She loves him like a Dwarf, fully, completely, immediately," Thorin said to Gandalf, few people understood what love for Dwarves was like, their society was so secretive about rites, rituals and histories. "Mahal told me that if she falls and the love is not reciprocated she will fade, like an elf."

Gandalf nearly choked on his pipe at that news, "That is troubling."

"Aye it is, especially considering that Kili will run in the opposite direction if he is pushed into something he is not ready for," Thorin nodded, taking a draw off of his own pipe and letting the taste of Old Toby fill his senses and calm his nerves. "Rylee is smart to push him away, to keep her guard up."

"I don't think she is even aware of what she is doing," Gandalf said softly as he watched Rylee walk back into camp a small contented smile upon her face, "She keeps everyone at arm's length, she always has."

"As the Valar taught her to," Thorin said with a slight nod, "They were adamant that she make no attachments until after she was united with her guardian. Since that decree she has followed it to the letter and kept me at a distance, and I have seen her do the same with you. You have seen her struggle with this since she arrived in this time. Has she ever allowed herself to become attached to someone?"

"Two people, actually, the first was Jovina of the Blacklocks clan. She was Rylee's hostess in her first two lives, I am not sure what happened to her. The second was Kaia, a Dwarrowdam, Durin's eldest daughter. She was Rylee's hand maiden," Gandalf said thoughtfully, Thorin was correct, even her closest friends she kept at a distance. Only Jovina and Kaia ever became close to true friendship and acceptance. "She disappeared in the attack of Grace Gardens."

* * *

><p>The beast was driving her insane. She could feel it, the darkness on the outskirts of her senses, even as she walked up the bank of the creek searching for a place to bathe. But the moment she went to hunt it, it would disappear. For days they were doing this dance, and Rylee was more than a little frustrated, but Mikhaul was right. She was letting the stress drag her further into the darkness, and her very spirit was paying the price. She needed to lighten up and enjoy her days, it was after all one of the pieces to her quest. She tried once again to remember the words.<p>

"Change the Hands of Fate."

"Find all that is lost."

"Take back what is yours."

"Be blessed child, and live fully, for this is to be your last."

"The Archer is the One who will teach you, Rylee."

She found the archer, he was teaching her, so far they did not make any progress, but he was trying. She loved spending time with him and had to fight with herself every night. If she gave in to her desires, she would spend every moment with him.

The rest of the quest, she was working on. To live fully, she needed to stop allowing this beast to drag her down, she needed to focus on being happy and enjoy each day. To take back what was hers she needed to find the Star of Ilúvatar. To find all that is lost, this part of her quest confused her, she didn't know what she might have lost other than the Star. She shook it off and saved it for later thought. She was left with the main quest, Change the hands of Fate. She still didn't know who she was to save or when she was supposed to do it.

Her dreams were unclear. All she ever saw was the fiery eye, and a pair of twining dragons one silver and blue the other gold and green, both with blood red eyes. Then she saw death, flashes of people she cared about dying in a variety of ways. It was horrible. She needed to cleanse, she needed to use her magic again.

First she needed to bathe and get the stench of slough off of her body and out of her clothes. Her boots squelched as she made her way up the riverbank, she could feel the slime between her toes and it made her want to gag. It was one thing to walk barefoot into a mud puddle knowing that the mud would sploosh up between her toes, it was another to feel it within the protection of her heavy boots. She scouted a good spot and made her camp. Rylee went through her ritual, starting the fire, setting her stuff out for her bath, setting up her metal working pack, and stripping down.

She stripped down, grabbed her soap and waded into the river. The water was clear and cold, but that didn't matter much to Rylee. Being made of fire, she rarely ever felt the differences of temperature. Gandalf's admonishment at Bilbo's house was mostly to keep her from destroying the table with her armor than anything else. She also suspected it was to get her off Kili's lap. The wizard was protective of her but then even when he was Olorin he was protective. Trying to petition for her to get the star back and staying with her during her last five years in Beleriand. He was like an older brother to her, and she knew that it had more to do with Manwë and Nienna than anything else, she was certain that they asked him to watch over her.

She started to scrub the slime from her body and the magic in Yavanna's soap started to work. Lifting away the grime and the dirt and the bugs and whatever else was coating her body and her hair. She could smell the roses and lilacs and honeysuckle come to life around her as she cleaned the scum away. She sighed in contentment as her hair came clean once again. Finally she let the suds rinse away in the clean flowing water and she waded back out. She took off one of her ankle scabbards and washed underneath. Once the scabbard and the knives were clean, she strapped it back on and did the same with the other ankle.

She dressed in her clean underclothes, not wanting to be caught naked again, as promised to Kili. Then she grabbed her soiled clothes and scrubbed them clean in the river. It took forever to get the slime off of the leather, and even longer to get it all out of her boots. She hung the clothes and her wet towel to dry on a bush, and her boots near the fire and then set to work with her metal working kit.

She already had in mind what she was going to make, the image was clear in her mind. This time she gave in to the fire completely. Letting it wash over her entire form as she used her tools and worked the metal in her hands. Manipulating the stained black iron with her tools and her hands, it would be a beautiful piece once she was done with it. While she worked she let her emotions flow into the metal, all of her dreams, her fears, her wishes and the love that was growing stronger every day. She let it fill the metal as she worked it.

She released her power and let the fire flow around her wild and free, and completely uninhibited lifting her soul to great heights. For the first time in days she felt liberated. Free of sorrow, free of doubt, free of fear. She felt strong and confident. Whole, Rylee felt whole. When she was in the throes of magic she felt complete. It was invigorating, as much as it was exhausting. She knew that she would need a nap before she went back to camp, so that Thorin would not worry. She worked until the main body was complete and then put the piece back into her metal pack. She checked her gear, and noticed that it was still not yet dry, so she leaned against a rock with her axes in her lap and gave in to sleep.

* * *

><p>It was nearing sunset when she finally returned. She was dressed in the grey leathers again, as she walked past him the scents of honeysuckle, roses and lilacs washed over him. Her hair was bright and shining in the last rays of the setting sun. Kili could smell smoke from her camp fire on her and he knew that she had been crafting and using her magic. He could not help but wonder what she was making. He wondered how it was possible that the wood smoke seemed to accentuate the scents of the flowers, combining them into something that was purely Rylee.<p>

"You ready for your lesson?" Kili asked her, a small smile quirked his lips in anticipation.

She arched a brow at him in a sardonic attempt to dissuade him, "You still think you can make the arrow change its course, do you?"

"It would not hurt to try again Rylee," Thorin admonished her, shooting her a glowering look. "Also since you are both here, you have fourth watch tonight."

Rylee's eyebrow quirked, if she didn't know better she would think that Thorin was trying to play matchmaker. She shook that thought away, why in the world would he do a thing like that? She brushed the odd thoughts aside and joined Kili for her lesson. This lesson followed along like every lesson before it, all arrows landed to the right of the target, a tree stump this time. Her arrows kept landing in a patch of small mushrooms. "Well, rest assured I can always hit the damn mushrooms."

"Try adjusting left again, Rylee," Kili said from behind her, she sighed and did as he asked, it still landed in the mushrooms.

"If I didn't see that with my own eyes, I would never believe it," Nori laughed coming up behind them. "Perfect form, perfect aim if you are shooting for that rock o'er yonder, and yet it still landed in the mushrooms. Kili, maybe you should help her with the aim."

"That's the thing Nori, I can help her with her stance, her aim, everything, but it still lands in the mushrooms." Kili was beginning to sound as frustrated as Rylee felt. "Rylee, aim at the stump again."

Rolling her eyes and sighing in irritation, she did as requested and let the arrow fly. Again, it landed in the mushrooms. Kili handed her another arrow, he saw the crease form on her brow. "Rylee?"

"Yes, Kili?" Rylee shot him a dark look, drawing the bow back.

"Can I kiss you again," Kili whispered softly, for her ears only. Completely distracted by his question she released the arrow and looked up at him, then at his lips and then in his eyes. "You hit the target, Rylee."

"Wh-what?" Rylee asked, her voice was low and breathless. She turned to look at the target and sure enough there it was, the arrow in the stump where it belonged. "You did that on purpose!"

"I had to distract you somehow," Kili teased her with a wink.

"I'm done! I don't see the point in this. Take it, you keep it." Rylee said exasperated, she handed him the bow and he grabbed her hand instead of the bow, pressing her fingers tighter into the handle. Her heart nearly stopped from that one simple touch. Fire spread through her as she reacted to him. She could not give in to him!

"Do it again, and try not to think so much," Kili told her. His voice was commanding, and it startled her. She was not used to him giving her commands. He held out another arrow for her and released her hand.

"Fine, but if it lands in the mushrooms, this will be our last lesson." Rylee warned him with a dark look. She took the arrow and nocked it, aimed and was ready to fire.

"I can see you thinking," Kili whispered in her ear, making her shiver, he could see her reaction, "think of something else. Think of Mikhaul and all the things you have done together. Or think of your quest. Do not think of the target. Do not think at all, if possible."

Rylee focused on sitting at the fire with a cup of her moon tea and let the arrow fly. It landed a foot closer to the target, but still off to the right.

Kili chuckled, he found her problem, she was over-thinking, he needed to find a way for her to clear her mind, "Well at least it was progress, what were you thinking about that time?"

"Tea," Rylee said with a half-smile.

He looked at the smile that played about her lips and the laughter he heard from her earlier. It pleased him that she could be the brunt of a joke, and that she could laugh at herself, he even thought her horrible puns were adorable. He wanted to kiss her again, but she was avoiding contact, avoiding being close to him as much as possible. Even though she forgave him for what he said she still was finding every reason to keep away from him. Damn it, he wished he could take it all back, she was still using it as a reason to stay away from him. He wanted to kick himself. 'I think I liked it better when you were thinking of me,' Kili thought to himself with the smallest of frowns.

"Last arrow," He handed it to her, but instead of letting her take her own stance, he settled in behind her. She stiffened and made to walk away, but he held her in place, "Just testing a theory, Rylee."

She drew the bow and aimed at the target, thinking again of her tea, that was until his hands settled on her waist and all she could think about was him and the affect he had on her. She released the arrow and heard it hit the stump. He took the bow from her, but held her against him, pulling her closer. Desire sparked in her, hot and electric. She had to stop this before she got hurt. His hand was on her belly, his mouth and lips brushed over her neck, he whispered in her ear, "I wasn't lying earlier; I want to kiss you again."

He watched as her eyes widened, her lips parted, her little pink tongue darted out to wet her lips. "That – that is just lust Kili, and I am not that kind of maid. Kissing is a bad idea."

"But you want me to kiss you," Kili whispered in her ear, feeling her shiver against him. "Please."

"Kili, Rylee, dinner's ready!" Fili's voice rang out from the edge of the clearing. Kili growled in frustration.

Rylee moved to step away, but Kili pulled her back, he desperately wanted her. He nuzzled into her neck, kissing her throat and the soft place behind her ear. Kili whispered softly, "Please, Rylee."

"Kili!" Fili called again, Kili didn't answer he waited for Rylee to respond to him. She turned a fraction closer, then suddenly her hand went up, catching something that was about to hit his face. He looked at her, and then he looked at the object in her hand, a pan biscuit. He was going to kill his brother.

"Apparently he means business. Come along, Kili," Rylee said softly a smile gracing her lips, she pushed the biscuit into his mouth as he was about to protest. Then with a chuckle she moved to pick up the arrows, she heard the whistle of the rock before it whipped by and she caught it in her hand. She whirled and looked at Kili's older brother, "Fili, do not throw things at me unless you want me to throw it back!"

Kili watched his older brother meet her furious gaze, Rylee held the rock threateningly in her hand. Fili, seeing the danger turned to start to run back to camp as Rylee whipped the rock at him, hitting him hard in the right butt cheek. "Ouch! That hurt you little wench!"

"You deserved it, Fili!" Rylee yelled back, she turned towards the arrows.

Kili started to laugh around the bite of biscuit in his mouth. "Nice shot! Did that veer to the right of the target as well?"

"Nay, Kili," Rylee rolled her eyes at her would-be seducer, "I only ever miss with an arrow."

"That just means you need more practice Rylee," Kili teased her as he followed her back to camp chewing on the last bite of his biscuit. Grabbing a bowl that Bofur was handing to him he sat beside Fili. Rylee sat with Thorin as she usually did.

"Ori?" Bilbo asked suddenly, the scribe perked up the moment he heard his name, his eyebrows shooting into his hairline. He turned to the curious Hobbit, "What is this story of the Mithril Queen you keep speaking of? It is not one I have heard before."

"You mean you don't know?" Ori asked with more than a little shock, then he looked at the Hobbit again in realization, "but of course not! You are not a dwarf, it is a Dwarven tale."

"Please do tell, Ori, I would like to hear it, too. It is an old legend, yes?" Rylee inquired softly. Thorin watched her speculatively. Rylee avoided contact with others. She was worse than Dwalin in that respect. When she did talk to the others, it was usually one on one and she did it on her own terms. Mikhaul brought her cheeky side to the surface earlier that day by launching her into the slough. The horse had a great time telling the tale and the entire company laughed. It was fascinating to watch Kili bring her out of her shell. Even Fili was beginning to draw her out, with his baiting and teasing, and rock throwing.

"Aye? You don't know it?" Dori responded this time, he looked at the lass with blatant curiosity shining in his eyes. "It dates back to the First Age. It is one of the greatest tales of love."

"You mean the age that I just came from a couple weeks ago?" Rylee reminded them all, her voice was quiet and yet it carried through the camp. Though they finally accepted the fact that she was from the First Age, and that she was the daughter of Mahal, they definitely did not believe her a Dragon Slayer, yet they all seemed to think she was this Mithril Queen. "I want to know the story so I can figure out if it is based on something that really happened or some drunken Dwarf's fantasy."

"Oh, right." Ori said as he realized that she would not know any of their stories or legends. _"Well the Mithril Queen was the Daughter of Mahal. She was a mysterious woman who looked to be a dwarrowdam in every way except for her lack of a beard. She arrived in the late days of the First Age, escorted by a spirit from Aman, introducing herself to the Eldars and the Seven. She was so beautiful to men from every race that she had many offers of courtship, but she had eyes for only one. Upon meeting the Emissaries of the seven Dwarf Clans the Mahal Daughter fell hopelessly in love with Durin. He returned her affection and they were soon to be married. As traditions hold it was to be a yearlong courtship, while Durin created a home for them in the mines of Khazad Dum. She was to wear the colors of Durin, her robes were nearly complete when the dragons attacked. She was lost in the battle, and not seen for many years."_

_"When she finally returned, the world was changed and her dreams were shattered once she learned that her beloved Durin was married to someone else. During her long absence Durin found his One and married her, thinking that the Mahal Daughter was dead. The legend says that the Mahal Daughter became extremely jealous and tried to pull the couple apart. She and Durin's One had a horrible spat and the Mahal Daughter promised death to the other woman. She tried to seduce Durin back to her but nothing could separate the Durin king and his One. The Mahal Daughter was disconsolate, her sorrows and grief wore on her heart and her spirit. When the dragons attacked again, the Mahal Daughter threw herself into battle and was once again lost."_ Ori went on with his tale. Kili looked at Rylee who was looking at the young dwarf with amusement on her face. Totally the opposite emotion that such a tragic tale would call for.

_"Again many years passed, so many in fact that when the Mahal Daughter arrived before the council of Eldars Durin and his One had three boy children to carry on their line. This time things were changed, while she still loved the Durin king, an Elven lord fell in love with her. The Mahal Daughter did not want to come between the Durin King and his wife, so to keep the peace between the races it was decided that she be crowned by both lines, and marry the Elf. After her coronation the newly made queen kept her vows and prepared for her wedding. They were still at war with the accursed dragons, so their nuptials were continuously postponed, until one day there was a direct attack by the dragons. Durin and the Elf lord went off to fight the dragon, leaving the Mahal Daughter behind to protect Durin's One and their three boy children. The Elven lord forbade her to go after the dragon for fear that she would once again be lost to the dragon. _

_What they could not have known was that while the warriors were out fighting the great black beast, a horde of smaller fire drakes attacked the palace. Out of devotion for Durin, the Queen donned her mithril Armor and rode into battle to face the dragon horde alone. She fought fiercely to protect Eridith and her boys, killing every one of the dragons before sacrificing herself to a fiery death in order to protect Durin's One. When the warriors returned the kingdom mourned the passing of the Mithril Queen and built a statue in her honor in Ered Luin. The Elven lord left for the Undying Lands so he could give in to the fade, and Durin and his One honored the Mithril Queen with another statue in the Hall of Kings in Khazad Dum."_ Ori finished the tale with great flourish. "To this day maids desire to be as pure and devoted and strong as The Mithril Queen, and Dwarves covet to have a dwarrowdam so beautiful and fierce. They vow that if they had such a gem they would keep her safe as the Elven Lord never did."

Rylee snorted in amusement. Though it was a sad ballad it was an untrue one, she could not help but feel amused by it. She shook her head and chuckled softly. "Oi, Gandalf, a slight exaggeration indeed! This is the work of that cheeky Durin. Leave it to him to twist things all out of proportion just for a good tale."

"How is it different Rylee?" Bilbo asked wanting to hear her side of the tale. "It sounds similar to the story you told that first night, so how is it that this tale is of you, but not of you?"

"You ask good questions, Bilbo," Rylee smiled softly at the curious Hobbit. "First off, Durin, though very handsome, was not my type at all whatsoever. Lusty male he was. In fact he was the one chasing me, not the other way around. I had to turn him down numerous times, and still he did not relent. He was supposedly heartbroken when I told him I was going to help find and kill Glaurung. He was a wonderful Dwarf and an even better friend. He absolutely loved telling tales about me and my adventures. Such as his tale of me and the ice dragons we found in the ruins of Nargothrond. He told a company of dwarves that I shot beams of death out of my eyes and beheaded the beasts. The worst part is that half of those drunken fools believed him! His tale about Fleetfoot Took and the Werewolf was just as bad if not worse, taking credit where none was his to take. He was all cheek that one! I wear his bead, this one here is his."

Kili looked at the dark blue bead that was woven into a braid of friendship. It hung just beside another friendship braid with a red bead of the Firebeards. She looked thoughtful for a moment before she chuckled again, shaking it off she continued, "When I came back years later, Durin had found his One. Eridith, wonderful woman she was, I absolutely adored her! Such mirth and gaiety you will never find in another dwarrowdam. The red one beside Durin's is her bead. I was her handmaiden at their wedding ceremony. Lucky for me, she was the only one Durin had eyes for. The only problem was that Durin decided that love was the most wonderful thing and tried setting me up with every one of his friends. All of whom I had to politely decline, which made my second quest that much more difficult to complete, since they all felt that it was their honor-bound duty to protect me. It did not matter that I was rarely even in the Pavilion, I was too busy trying to kill dragons."

"The third time I returned, Durin and I killed many drakes side by side in battle before I ran into battle against Ancalagon. Durin stayed behind to protect his beloved, they must have both survived otherwise there would be no tale to tell. However they had four children, their eldest daughter was Kaia, she was my handmaiden, a healer by trade and deadly with a pair of daggers. It was she who disappeared in the battle of dragons at Grace Gardens. As for the Elf, he could not have loved me as much as the tale tells because he is married and still very much alive," Rylee sighed as she thought of the end of the tale. As handsome as the Elf was, Thranduil didn't care for Rylee, nor did he even bother getting to know her. She didn't even want to think about what his father stole from her. She continued her version, trying to keep her tone light, and failing miserably, "The only rage I have is directed at Morgoth and his despicable creations, I don't think I have ever been jealous, and I certainly never found my One."

"How do you know?" Bilbo asked softly with a note of confusion in his voice, "How do you know that you did not find your One?"

"Oh Bilbo, every Dwarf knows when they find their One," Rylee smirked thinking about what Mahal told her, "They are inexplicably drawn to their soul mate. There is a singular attraction, they want to spend every waking moment in their presence, the chance of a touch or a glance thrills them. A dwarf in love will look upon their One with eyes of adoration and hunger, their heartbeats become fast, breath becomes short, and knees become weak. A dwarf will only ever desire their one true soul mate, and if they cannot have their One they will pine for that love until the end of their days."

"So if Durin was your One you would pine for him?" Bilbo inquired, intrigued by these odd Dwarven intricacies.

"Me? No, Bilbo," Rylee shook her head sadly, "Because I am the Daughter of Aulë, I would not pine, I would fade."

"Fade? Like an Elf?" Bilbo asked his light brown eyebrows arched in surprise, Rylee nodded with a small sad smile, "You would die from a broken heart."

There was a long silence as everyone took in that news. Thorin and Gandalf were not surprised, of course, but Fili and Kili were disturbed by this. Fili because he knew Rylee was already falling, it was clear as day. Everything she described was the way she reacted to Kili. The fact that she was fighting it could not be good for her. Kili was upset by this because he knew he liked her, he knew that she liked him, but if she fell for him and he broke it off, he could destroy her. It was no longer a matter about courting and getting to know her. This was serious.

"So the story of the Mithril queen is a complete fallacy?" Ori asked looking a little morose.

"It is not a true tale, but it is a Durin Tale and that alone makes it a good ballad of Dwarven Love. You must understand that Durin loved to turn a good story into an even better one. He was one who liked to embellish his tales to make them memorable." Rylee smiled gently, "Enjoy it for what it is, Ori, a tale told by Durin himself about love and devotion and strength. It need not mean anything more."

"Why would he leave out his daughter, do you think?" Nori asked quietly from the far side of the fire.

"Grief. When she disappeared they were heartbroken. Kaia was their pride and joy. Do not get me wrong, they loved the boys, but Kaia was special, stunningly beautiful, with long straight black hair and her eyes, like emerald and gold mixed together. Suitors gathered for miles, offering jewels for her dowry, stunning jewels to match her bright eyes." Rylee whispered, her voice was choked with emotion, and her face was filled with adoration, unmasked and honest. "So much so that Durin and Eridith begged me to give her my name so that Durin would no longer be pressured into arranging a marriage for her, as they were wont to do in those days. He wanted her to find her One as he and Eridith did so Kaia Daughter of Durin became Kaia Emitheral."

"You cared for the lass, I take it?" Nori looked at her, watching her carefully.

"I have never met someone who cared more for others than she did. She would have sacrificed herself a thousand times for everyone else before taking something for herself. She helped me survive life at the Eldar Pavilion, and helped me avoid marriage to a certain elf for four years," Rylee smiled at the memory of her friend. "Aye, I cared for her, very much."


	10. Hunting for Stag

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 10

Hunting for Stag

May 12

They were two weeks into the journey and just when Kili thought that he would never get a chance to be alone with her, his luck changed. Upon an order to go hunting by his uncle Thorin, Kili and Rylee were sent out hunting. Much to Kili's chagrin, she protested loudly before they left.

"You want me to take him hunting? Are you kidding me?" Rylee looked up at Thorin from the buckle she just secured on Mikhaul.

Thorin looked at her with a hard glare, for days she had been going off to search for the elusive beast that she was certain was hunting them staying just at the periphery of her senses, and every day she returned perturbed and upset because it was still out there. He wanted someone with her if she met up with it and who better than her One? "That is a direct order Rylee, you will take Kili with you or you will stay with the company."

"This is an extremely bad idea, Ugshar!" Rylee said hotly, following Thorin around the camp. "Mikhaul can take Fili and Kili, I can just stay with the Company. You know what happens when I go hunting!"

"Mikhaul will not take anyone without you, and you know it." Thorin growled at her, "Kili is going with you and that is that, Rylee."

"But -!" Rylee stopped short watching incredulously as her mentor saddled his own mount. She was absolutely appalled at his unwillingness to see reason.

"No more arguments, Rylee! Get on that horse and go with Kili," Thorin ordered her.

"Fine, he can come with me, but he had better stay out of my way," Rylee growled lowly, making sure her voice didn't carry any further than Thorin's ears, "There is something big out there, and if I am right -."

"You have been saying that for days and naught has come of it." Thorin shook his head and rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You have not seen an Orc or Warg in days, and every day you come back empty handed. If you are going hunting you may as well take Kili and actually bring back some meat. We are running low on supplies as it is."

"Have you ever wondered why game has been so scarce lately Ugshar? Why the Orcs and the Wargs keep their distance lately?" Rylee put her hand on his as he tightened the girth strap on his saddle. "I have been feeling a familiar presence for days, I am not perfectly certain what it is but my suspicion is that it is terrible enough to keep other dark things at bay."

"What do you mean?" Thorin shot her a dark look, his suspicions heightened.

"You do recall what it is I hunt, do you not, Thorin?" Rylee told him quietly, this was between the two of them. She didn't want to risk Kili if she didn't have to. "I mean a drake."

"That is not hunting! It is suicide!" Thorin roared in shock, he could not believe what he was hearing. When she said they were being tracked by something big, he thought perhaps it was a werewolf, not this! The company was being tracked by a drake? A dragon was after them, when they were ultimately after a dragon? It was just too absurd to even fathom.

"It has been skirting us for over a week!" Rylee shot back, her tone was menacing, and it caused a shiver to run over Thorin's spine. "I know you don't like it Thorin, but ever since I met Ungoliant the beasts of Morgoth are attracted to me. Either I hunt it, or it hunts me, either way I will be fighting it."

"It greatly bothers me when you start making sense, Rylee," Thorin scowled at her, she was a War Maiden of the Valar, and he had to stop trying to hold her back. He still wanted Kili to go with her, if he was right, Rylee was Kili's One, and he would do anything and everything to keep Rylee safe. "Take Kili with you, if only to ease my mind. Go on, then, they are waiting!"

Rylee was seething and frustrated. She didn't want to take Kili anywhere with her, she was trying to avoid him. She stalked off towards Mikhaul and Kili brought over his packs and weapons, looking none too happy at her obvious annoyance at his presence. She helped him strap everything onto the back of Mikhaul and then swung herself into the saddle. Rylee offered her hand to help him into the saddle behind her. He settled himself against her and she inwardly flinched at the intimate contact.

"You have not truly forgiven me have you?" Kili said softly as Mikhaul jumped into a quick trot.

"I said I forgave you Kili, I meant it," Rylee said in frustration, holding on to the great mare with her knees. Kili's hands were on her hips, and she could feel the contact through her clothes and armor as though she was being seared with a brand. "I am hunting, which is not the same as when you hunt. I do not want to put you or anyone else in danger."

"I am sure I can handle anything that we find Rylee," Kili assured her, he was ever confident, and she knew that he would have his usual cocky surety on his face. A small mischievous smirk playing about his mouth and a twinkle in his chocolate eyes, she didn't even need to turn to see it, she could hear it in his voice.

"Just promise that you will follow my orders if we find one of Morgoth's creatures." Rylee pleaded as she turned to look at him over her shoulder. She was not wrong, his confidence was written on his face and the twinkle in his eye spoke of his surety and bravery. She just hoped she was right and it was a drake and not something much, much darker.

Kili was stunned. The look on her face told him that she was dead serious. Rylee fully expected to battle a monster. The thought unsettled Kili for a moment, but it was just for a moment. This was the chance Mikhaul kept talking about, the chance to prove himself to Rylee, the chance to gain her favor. "I swear it, Rylee, if we meet one of Morgoth's creatures I will do whatever you say."

"Good, because I do not want to explain your death to your brother and uncle if you do not," Rylee nodded once and turned back to face forward.

With that Mikhaul broke into a run and they left the company far behind. Rylee and Mikhaul only talked on occasion to discuss the direction of the presence that they felt in the shadows. Which was how Kili was riding behind Rylee on Mikhaul's back, galloping at great speeds across the plains and into the thick forests that seemed perfect for game hunting. Neither Rylee nor Mikhaul found it important to stop for game; they were on the hunt for something much larger. It took mere hours for Mikhaul to cover ground that would take the other ponies the whole day to cover.

"If we had sixteen more ponies like Mikhaul we would be in Erebor already," Kili said in admiration.

Rylee laughed as they raced along, "She is remarkable isn't she?"

Kili was both reveling in and in agony over the constant contact with Rylee. He was so aroused it hurt, and yet he did not want to let go of her waist, as he rode behind her in the saddle. Already his hands were moving of their own accord, brushing against her hips, settling on her thighs, back to her waist. Mikhaul jerked suddenly once and his hands spanned over her lower tummy making Rylee gasp and her back arch. He got a face full of her glorious hair and an admonishment, "You do that again Kili and we will fall off Mikhaul's back!"

His hands were driving her to distraction. They were everywhere! She was burning all over, all she needed was a spark and she would be up in flames. It was only made worse when Mikhaul sidled left and his hands brushed against her belly, even through all the layers she could feel the friction and the heat between them. She nearly fell off Mikhaul right then and there.

"Kili, if you don't stop whatever you are doing to Rylee I am going to kick you when we reach the forest," Mikhaul's voice whispered into his mind, "She has been digging her heels into my ribs for the past twenty minutes."

So he was not the only one affected by their proximity, that was good, but knowing that Rylee was affected only made it worse. Thankfully it was not much later that Mikhaul stopped, and they were able to dismount. Kili didn't wait for her before he stalked off into the forest, cursing about pain and control. It took every bit of his control not to haul her against the nearest tree and maul her. She was all he could think of, his lust for her was driving him out of his mind. He was nearly past the point of insanity. He just needed some space to clear his mind and get his body back under control.

It was not yet mid day when Rylee pulled their gear off of Mikhaul and made a base camp for them. Just before she went after Kili, Mikhaul told her that she would be back later that day. Eru needed her for some matter. Rylee wished her well and then turned into the forest to find Kili. The odd lingering feeling of familiarity washed over her again as she sensed the darkness close by. Her instincts were dead on. It was closing in on them, and Kili was out in that forest alone.

She had to go after him. She could not allow Kili to face this beast alone. She checked some markings on a few of the low lying bushes. There was a deer nearby, Kili would be scouting it, and Thorin didn't tell him what they were actually hunting. Damn it! At least she had given him some warning. She walked right past him, perfectly silent in the brush, she knew he was there but her focus was on the presence in front of her and not on the Dwarf beside her.

He was about to tell her where he was when she turned, met his eyes and held her finger to her lips. Then stealthily as a cat she moved forward through the trees. He followed on her heels making as little noise as he could behind her. She was tracking something, a fairly large animal from the markings that she was checking out. Finally she stopped and looked back at him, "Did Thorin tell you what we are hunting?"

"No, he just told me that Bombur needs fresh meat, I told him we would bring back a stag," Kili whispered softly.

"Well if we are lucky, we will both bag our game today, Kili," Rylee whispered softly, her voice barely even registered, "I am hunting something much, much bigger."

On the move again they worked their way deeper in to the forest. Even in daylight the thick branches above them shut out the majority of light, dappling the forest floor with shadow. Still Rylee was able to follow the trail of her game. She was good, almost as good as he and Fili, she stopped twice looking at the markings before he pointed out the direction and they continued on. She followed behind him for awhile before Kili motioned for her to stop.

There it was, a massive stag in the forest, tall at least eighteen hands, and it had no less than six points on its heavy antlers. It would do the company several days for food. Kili handed Rylee his bow and arrow since she did not bring hers. She shook her head adamantly, not wanting to risk missing the shot. He was insistent, if she missed they would find another deer, she needed to at least try. Finally she took it and took her stance and drew back on the bow, she stopped, perfectly still and lowered the weapon a fraction of an inch.

Kili wondered what in Mahal's name she was doing, he grabbed her shoulder and she pointed to a huge mass that was hovering just over the tree line on the far side of the deer. Kili blinked trying to see what she was looking at, when all of a sudden the mass moved, quick as a cat, it leapt for the deer. Rylee aimed at the deer and took her shot, the arrow swerved right and the whistle of the turning arrow alerted the stag to danger. The buck took off at a dead run, just barely escaping the massive jaws of a hulking long tailed wyvern. The arrow struck smartly on the dragon's snout and fell harmlessly to the ground. The bright sharp silvery teeth snapped shut at the miss and the creature hissed in anger.

Kili blinked, Rylee alerted the deer on purpose, knowing her arrow would turn away from the deer. Kili moved to draw his sword, prepared to fight their way out of the forest when Rylee stopped his hand. She pulled out her axes and handed them to him, mouthing the words, blood mithril. She then unclipped her whip and let it slowly uncoil around her. Her other hand reached for her long dagger on her spine. There was a spark in her eyes, a hunger, she looked ready to pounce. She motioned that she was going to skirt the clearing to the opposite side and took off on nearly silent feet.

"I smell dwarf," The dragon spoke in a soft, low, hypnotic voice, Kili could see its mouth moving. It was a voice meant to lull their prey into a stupor or to give up the fight. Kili knew he had to remain strong and fight the seduction of that voice.

The dragon turned a flaring red eye in their direction, looking directly at Kili. It was a massive silver thing, standing easily as tall as the trees, its long silvery tail whipping back and forth, destroying trees with every lashing swipe. The thick silver scales covered him. Face, feet, back and tail. The only soft area was a bright blue leathery underbelly that he kept protected close to the ground. It had a long jaw, and spines along its nose across its wide cheek bones and up over the massive burning red eyes. The spines joined above the eyes to create a massive comb that ran down its neck and along its shoulders before receding slowly into nothingness.

"What is your name, Dwarf?" The massive creature asked Kili, his voice sliding silkily around the trees, "What should I call you?"

"I am called Master Archer," Kili said softly feeling compelled to answer but knowing from all of his dragon lore that he should never give a dragon a straight answer. "I am called Scout."

"Was it you who made the arrow turn?" The dragon asked with no small amount of intrigue, "It is a neat trick, I will give you that. Not remotely interesting enough to let you live. You carry gold and precious things, pitiful, not enough gold to bother. I have a great hoard to the north in the grey mountains, so great that all lesser worms desire it."

"If I may be so bold as to ask," Kili spoke slowly as he watched Rylee move through the trees. He was trying to buy her time so he continued, "If it is so great a hoard why did you leave it?"

"I search for someone," The massive beast followed Kili with his great red eyes, his nostrils flared as he took in his scent "You smell like the one that I hunt, and yet different. You are vaguely familiar. Yes, I remember this scent, I remember this taste."

"That is impossible," Kili shook his head, feeling no small amount of fear. He was shaking in his boots and yet he had to keep the dragon preoccupied until Rylee reappeared. "I have never met you before."

"Of course you have not. No dwarf has stood against Esgaud and survived," The dragon taunted him out loud, he could see his lips and face moving with the words. Kili shook his head as he also heard thoughts in his mind, much like Mikhaul's, but these were telling him to give in, to give up and to disarm peacefully. Mikhaul's voice was bright, cheerful and joyous. This beast's voice gave Kili the shivers; it was cold, dark, and angry. It filled his mind, telling him to succumb to death. Kili scoffed, there was no way he was giving up, what did this beast take him for, weak? "I am Killer of Durin Sons, Destroyer of Dwarves. You smell of the Durin folk, I have met your kind before, weak dwarves the lot of them. What were their names? Their names... ah yes, Dain and Fror, I tasted them and I took their mountain, driving the others out."

Kili could not believe it. This was the beast that killed his ancestors, Dain I and his son Fror. His great grandfather Thror's brother and father died in an attack by a cold drake! This beast was that very drake! This monster, Esgaud was the reason Thror moved his people to Erebor. Rage filled Kili and he had to hold himself back from charging in against it. He wanted to avenge his ancestors, for Thorin's sake, for his mother's sake. But he was not strong enough to kill a dragon alone and he promised Rylee that he would follow her orders, so he held still and waited for her direction.

"It is a pity that you are not the one I seek," the dragon taunted Kili trying to draw him out of the trees. "You are too small for dinner, but I will kill you nonetheless, the only good dwarf is a dead one."

"You may stop with the mind games gozig'kall," Rylee said, her tone was bored, sardonic and highly disrespectful. She was standing on the opposite side of the dragon. Kili's eyes widened, she was taunting the dragon? It was a fool's errand to taunt a live dragon, everyone knew this, and yet Rylee continued to speak, "Neither of us is susceptible to your powers of persuasion."

"Treasures. You smell different, you smell like treasure, like gold, like dragon, and like wolf." Esgaud turned its head to look at Rylee, to get a better sniff at her, "You smell like fire."

"You like the way I smell, don't you gozig'kall" Rylee said, her voice rang with power, she sounded almost seductive to Kili's ears, rivaling the dragon's power over mind and sound. "I smell like power. All dragons, even cold ones like you, like power."

"I don't like that you smell like that dwarf," Esgaud sulked, no longer able to play his game with Kili, it was obviously becoming agitated. "You should be with someone stronger, Little Power. Little Firebrand."

"So you know my name Esgaud," Rylee scoffed devaluing his knowledge. She tried to shake the feeling that she knew this dragon, that she faced him before. How, when, where? She didn't understand. It was not like her to ever forget a dragon. She could remember every battle, from her first all the way to her last against Ancalagon. Red eyes, she could see it in the red eyes. She knew this dragon, but how? Silver and blue flashed bitterly in her mind, followed by a flash of green and gold. Shaking it off Rylee focused on the battle at hand, "My reputation precedes me."

"You have been missing from the world for a long time, Firebrand. You nearly wiped out my kind." The dragon told her darkly. Kili wondered what the banter was about. Rylee signed in Iglishmek, 'The long tail will attack very soon. On my command we go for the forelegs, you go for the right, I take the left.' Kili nodded imperceptibly. "I remember you. They called you by many names, Dragons Bane, Firebrand, Rúnyatári, and Rylee Emitheral."

"How do you know me?" Rylee said, again fighting this feeling of knowledge, of acquaintanceship. How could she possibly know this beast? She felt dizzy and she wondered if somehow her ability to block the glamour of dragons was failing. That was impossible. Green, gold, blue, silver, red eyes, the images swirled in her mind making her nauseous. Something was horribly wrong.

"Don't you remember, Rúnyatári? My brother and I lived in a great hoard. He was of fire and I am of ice. You and Fram came to take our hoard from us." The silver dragon with the blue belly growled lowly, his red eyes flashing with hostility.

"I don't know anyone named Fram," Rylee whispered feeling sick to her stomach, her mind whirling with images swirling. This was not normal, she needed to shake this off, whatever it was. "I don't know you. I don't know your brother."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Rylee Emitheral. What did the White One do to you?" Esgaud teased her darkly. Rylee could feel him pounding against the barrier in her mind, the one that protected her from his glamour. It was intact. Whatever was upsetting her was not based on dragon magic. This was something else. "How is it possible that you would not recall Scatha?"

"Scatha!" Kili gasped in recognition of the name. Scatha was a dragon killed in the year two thousand, nearly nine and a half centuries ago. Rylee was there? How was that possible? He looked at Rylee and he was shocked. She looked ill, like something was deeply wrong. She was leaning against a tree, sucking in deep breaths. Her usually pale face was ghostly white.

"Who is Scatha?" Rylee whispered as she braced herself on the tree. Green and gold, jewel bright red eyes, fire and sparks came from nose and mouth. Familiar and yet she did not remember. "Who is the White One?"

"I remember it clearly Firebrand," Esgaud was creeping forward, slowly but surely, closer and closer to his prey. "My brother and I were merely protecting our hoard. You and that Fram attacked us. My brother used his magic on Fram, he could manipulate the human. Scatha could not manipulate you, and you killed him, but not before you fell. The White One did something to you, right before you vanished."

The flash of a face, gold and green, a man, red eyes, someone wearing white, silver and blue. The images danced before her eyes. Rylee fought against the pictures in her mind, she needed clarity. She needed to shake this off. Knowing full well that she could not fight this dragon in her current condition and she needed to protect Kili. She took a deep breath and forced herself to clear her mind. Pushing the odd images away Rylee envisioned her flame, she thought about Mahal and about the company and the Dwarf she was trying to protect. Everything that she could use to bring her to focus she used it. Looking across the clearing to Kili, she met his eyes and pushed away from the tree, feeling strong again.

"So how many are left of your kind, vile worm? How many gozig'kall are there left in the world?" Rylee taunted the beast, allowing the power in her voice to rise once again, "Once I kill you there will be one less and I would like to share the news of your fall with your kin."

Kili watched her with an edge of fear and horror. She was baiting this beast on purpose. He could see the beast beginning to coil in rage, ready to attack.

"I am the last of the wyverns," Esgaud coiled, its muscles flexed and tensed visibly. Its long tail began twitching, then swinging and sweeping ferociously back and forth, crushing trees with each wide swing. "You killed my brother. You killed Scatha, for that I will destroy you."

"You are a liar, Esgaud," Rylee taunted in return, there was a sardonic lilt to her voice and she stepped out from behind the trees, closing the space between herself and the dragon. "I know for a fact that there are others, many that are smaller than you. I have heard a legend of one more powerful than you, one that keeps a watch over a gold horde in a very lonely place."

Esgaud's nostrils flared in rage, the audacity and daring of the little creature before him, did she have no respect for those stronger than she? She was little more than a child! He was supposed to bring her to the dark master, but Esgaud wanted her dead. He sneered at her, "There is one great Fire Drake far to the east. You will never reach him, for you will die this night."

"That is where you are wrong, lizard, Smaug is next!" Rylee growled lowly, her whip cocked in readiness, she said evenly, "Now Scout!"

Kili blinked for a moment as he realized that Rylee used one of the names that he gave the dragon to ensure that it could not use Kili's name to overpower him. She sprang forward as he did, together they attacked. She lashed her whip at the left foreleg as Kili sprang for the right. Rylee released the blades and pulled as hard as she could and her whip began to dig into the scaled flesh of the beast. The bladed whip cut deeply into the thick muscles of the left foreleg before it unwound and the whip fell loose. It was a deep wound and the Dragon screamed in pain and flailed upwards, but not before Kili planted both of the Mithril axes into the ankle of the right fore foot, completely severing the great silver paw.

"Use the axes to climb!" Rylee ordered, her voice was commanding, "Take his head from the top!"

She lashed her whip again as the dragon thrashed in agony, Kili watched in awe for a moment as Rylee kept the beast distracted. Then he did as she commanded and swung the axe into the monsters hanging forearm. Arm over arm, Kili used the axes to pull himself up the side of the dragon, while Rylee kept the screaming beast busy below.

Rylee lashed out with her whip trying to keep the beast contained, and still enough that Kili could climb. She purposely cut long lashes into the thick muscles of the dragon's throat, weakening the skin. Esgaud snapped at her, so she rolled under his heavy jaw and drove her dagger into the loose flesh under its angry maw. He roared in rage.

She rolled back out from under his head and backed away, flicking her wrist and once again striking it in the face. The beast turned his head to nip at Kili who was nearing the bony area of the Dragon's shoulder, the blooded axes digging deep into the flesh with each swing and pull as he lifted himself ever higher. Rylee taunted Esgaud, "Come on you stupid vile beast! You can do better than that!"

"Where is your spark little firebrand?" Her whip dug deep into his face as he swung back to face her, the tail end snapping right into the pupil of his bright ice blue eye. He screamed in pain and lunged forward, snapping ferociously at Rylee. Kili did everything that he could just to hang on so he could continue to climb.

"What spark is that, Esgaud? Killer of Durin Sons, Destroyer of Dwarves," Rylee said repeating the words she heard earlier. She was no longer certain that she didn't know this beast, he was too familiar a presence to deny the possibility. But she was certain that she did not know who Dain or Fror were, but she saw Kili's face when the dragon taunted Kili earlier. She knew that he was enraged by what he heard, which meant that they were ancestors of some sort. Rylee vowed that she would help Kili avenge their deaths.

Suddenly the beast's chest flared and a freezing cold fog erupted from its mouth pouring around Rylee who still stood just before him. Kili watched in horror as everything around them became coated in glistening ice before it cracked and died, turning black. Strangely Rylee began to smile, even as her leather solidified, her hair turned white and her eyelashes grew icy. She grinned dark and feral, looking up at the dragon with pure hostility. Esgaud looked down at her with superiority, "Feel the power of the North Rylee Emitheral, how do you like being frozen?"

"You should know better than to play with fire, Drake," Rylee said in rage as Esgaud once again turned to snap his teeth at Kili. Rylee ignited the sparks that lived under her skin, and then she allowed herself to burn. The beast swung back in surprise to see the girl on fire and the ice around her evaporating into mist. The flame trickled up her arms and over her shoulders, down her back and over her legs until she was completely enveloped in bright red flame. Then she spoke a command and her whip lit on fire. She looked up to see Kili standing on the beast's head, looking down at her. His face was awestruck.

"It cannot be!" Esgaud roared at her as he watched the fire flare to life around her, "Scatha himself doused your flame! I saw him destroy your fire! He pulled your spark from your soul!"

"Nothing can steal my spark and no one can contain my fire! I am the Queen of Red Flame for a reason!" She began to speak in the blood magic language, Aglâbu Azrâdu'damâm, the flames rose higher around her waving hypnotically back and forth. The dragon was so caught up in her movements and her dance with her whip that he didn't notice Kili standing high up on his neck, readying his axes. The handles of the blades in Kili's hands vibrated with the influx of raw power, the runes began to light from within, as did the runes on Rylee's whip and dagger. Kili's eyes were drawn to Rylee, covered in flame, her deep dark ember hair crackled with sparks and flame, her electric eyes sparked white, and the flames clung to her petite frame like a second skin. She truly was a firebrand.

"Cut deep, Strike True," she cried to him in her impassioned language. He didn't know the words, but he understood the meaning. Kili took it as his cue and embedded the rounded axes on either side of the dragon's neck. He felt the pulse of the magic in the blades as they sliced deep into the flesh and Kili jumped back as the tail of Rylee's whip swung up and wrapped tight around one of the handles. She pulled hard and the axe split the flesh on one side of the dragon's throat.

Esgaud roared in rage and bucked into the air, as black blood wept from the grave wound. Rylee was launched upwards and landed hard on the dragon's snout, and Kili slipped down the dragon's back. He grabbed tight to one of the spines on his neck and used the dagger called 'hush' to stop his free fall, embedding the blue blade into the flesh as he fell. Kili noticed that even his blade thrummed with the life of Rylee's magic, silently shredding the flesh, digging deep into dragon flesh and bone. The dragon tried to scrabble away from its imminent death, and keened at the massive laceration in its neck. Rylee was still on Esgaud's nose, she hung there for a long moment clinging to the spines as the dragon thrashed. Using his dagger as a climbing anchor Kili crawled back up the dragon's neck toward its great head. Finally up top, he tucked the dagger back into its scabbard and prepared to help Rylee, who was on the nose of the beast.

He watched as Rylee rolled over and got her feet beneath her, her dagger still in hand she launched herself at the dragon's eye, planting the blade deep within the black pupil of the bright red eye. The dragon screamed and thrashed as the fiery blade penetrated the soft tissue. At the same moment Kili leapt for the handle of the other axe, using his weight to pull the blade through the flesh. As the blade cut its path through the scaly skin of the beast, Kili saw the handle of the other axe still stuck in the other side of the Dragon's neck. The power of Rylee's magic still emanated from the weapons as he reached for it and pulled hard on both, tucking up and pressing his feet into the underside of the monsters neck, he pulled the blades through the muscle tissue, severing the hot arteries and veins. Finally the monster fell in a deadened heap. Kili pulled the axes free and rolled away just in time, screaming in rage and in retribution, "That is for killing my ancestors you worthless worm!"

He looked back at Rylee whose flame shimmering body clung to her dagger, still embedded deep within the dragon's eye. She was hanging haphazardly off of the great beast's face, the red eye bleeding white viscous fluid over her hands. She did not move for a long moment.

"Rylee!" He called to her as he approached. She rose to her feet, and stumbled back as she jerked the dagger out of the dragon's eye. The flames disappeared and she started to fall. Kili dropped the axes and ran for her, catching her before she dropped to the ground, "Rylee, are you okay?"

"Aye, Kili," Rylee whispered, she hung limply in his arms. He picked her up and carried her to a tree opposite the dragon. "Magic is exhausting. I just need rest."

"Well you cannot sleep here," Kili said softly, caressing her face, trying to keep her awake.

"No, Kili, this is," Rylee started, as her eyes closed for a long moment, when she opened them she continued, her voice even quieter and weaker, "the safest place. No one will approach a dragon, even a dead one. I will rest. You go hunt, find that stag."

"No, I will not leave you Rylee." Kili shook his head. He did not want to leave her here, with this monster's carcass. "If anything, we need to go back to the company."

"Mikhaul is gone to help Eru, we cannot leave until she returns," Rylee whispered. "Go hunting. Get the stag, by the time you get back Mikhaul will have returned. I promise I will be safe."

"No Rylee, please, let me take you to safety," Kili stroked his fingers down her face, but she was gone. Only her steady breath assured him that she was still alive. "Please, my love, wake up. We cannot stay here."

"She will be safe, as she said," a voice said from behind him. Kili spun, the only weapon he had left was his hunting dagger on his left hip, everything else was scattered. There was a tall man standing behind him, taller even than Gandalf, with hair the color of Rylee's, and a braid in his beard. He had an aura of greatness, his chest was bare, but he wore an Armored cloak, and held a great war-hammer in his hand. "You should do as she says, go hunting, and gather food for your kin. Rylee needs sleep. Do not worry young Kili. I will stay with her until you return."

"You are Mahal!" Kili said his eyes wide with awe. He took a breath and looked back at Rylee, "I don't like leaving her. It feels wrong."

"I promise she will be fine. Go on your hunt, return quickly." Mahal said looking down at his sleeping daughter. His pride and love for her was written in every expression as he took in her sleeping form.

Kili did as asked, he hated doing it. Leaving her like that when she was so vulnerable, but she was with Mahal, if anyone could keep her safe it would be Mahal. It took less than an hour to find the stag, and then he had to track it silently waiting for the perfect shot. It took another hour to clean it and another to haul the carcass back to the camp Rylee made. Twilight was just settling around them as he pulled the meat into camp for curing. He found it surreal that he and Rylee took on a dragon in the middle of the day, and still there was time enough left to hunt and carry out a stag.

When he arrived he found Rylee sleeping in her bedroll and Mahal sitting beside a roaring fire. Their weapons were gathered together and a smoke tent was already set up over a small coal pit with fragrant branches and herbs smoldering gently on a rack within. All that was missing was the stag. Mahal looked at him appraisingly and Kili found himself unsure under such a dark gaze. "You are a skilled warrior. You might be a match in strength for my daughter. The real question is if you are the one who can give life to her fire."

"Rylee is fire," Kili said in confusion, looking up at the very maker of his people.

"Aye, she is but she is more. Her power has been subdued by the wills of those who covet it. When her heart is pure, her fire is pure as well," Mahal said softly, he looked at Rylee and Kili could see the love and affection that he held for her. "She is a soft soul, but a bright one, one who can bring great joy and light to those around her, that is Nienna's doing. Nienna's Grace lives in her, but until that purity is restored, Rylee will remain lost. I urge you to help her find it."

"I will try, if she will let me," Kili said honestly, looking at the Maker of Dwarves, feeling complete reverence just by being in his presence. He could not believe that the Vala was here, standing before him, much less talking to him.

"Good, that is good," Mahal smirked at his response. The glint in his eyes spoke of amusement as well as great knowledge. The tall Vala walked away from camp. Moving out of the small clearing and towards the thick forest, he stopped at the edge of the woods, "Oh, Kili, tell no one that you saw me, especially not Rylee. It would only upset her that she missed a visit."

With that, Mahal was gone, leaving Kili with the question of how? How was he to help Rylee find what she was missing? What did he mean by giving life to her fire? If Rylee was fire, how could he give life to it?

He pushed the thoughts away for the moment. He had other tasks that needed to be taken care of before he could figure out the puzzles of the Maker. He would have to cook the meat himself and make food for himself and Rylee for when she woke. Thus far, she slept deeply, steadily. Kili set himself to work, getting as much done as he possibly could. Luckily he kept supplies on him for instances like this. While hunting it was always likely to have a delay or a need to keep camp for an extra night. He started to butcher the stag and smoke the cuts that would be best smoked while he waited for Mikhaul to return, the rest he roasted over the fire once it got low enough to cook without burning.

It was late that night when Mikhaul returned, her coat glistening with sweat. Kili took one look at the steed and knew that there was no way that they were going to be returning to the Company that night. Whatever she and Eru were doing that day, it was obviously enough to exhaust her. The mare usually had energy for days, but Mikhaul would not speak of it. She only told him that darkness was growing and Eru was concerned.

He and Mikhaul took turns keeping watch through the night. Rylee continued to sleep, dreamless and peaceful. That alone worried Kili, it was not like Rylee to sleep for so long or so deeply. He noticed several nights ago when he was on watch that her sleep was often riddled with dreams, dreams that made her toss and turn and cry out softly in the night. Sometimes they were the names of the Company, other times they were names he never heard before. When Kili woke at dawn and found her sleeping still, his worry grew. He checked the meat that he slow roasted and cured over the fire, then packed it away, it was nearing the noon hour and still she slept on. Kili and Mikhaul shared a long look. They could not remain here longer. He needed to get Rylee back to Thorin and the company needed their meat.

He packed up camp leaving Rylee's bedroll for last. Everything else was already strapped onto Mikhaul's back. He sat beside Rylee and put his hand on her shoulder, shaking her lightly. "Rylee, it is time to wake."

Her brow creased, and she murmured softly. Her hands caught his, pulling it to her chest. He took both of hers in his own hands. "Come on Rylee, time to get up, we need to get back to the others."

"So tired, Kili, just a little more sleep," Rylee pleaded softly, her eyes didn't open.

"No, Rylee we need to go now." Kili urged softly, her eyes fluttered in the bright midday light. She whimpered as she fought to open her eyes. "Tell you what, you get up now, just long enough to get on Mikhaul, and you can sleep while we ride back."

"Mmm-okay," Rylee turned over and tried to rise. She was weak, stumbling, and Kili had to help her to Mikhaul's side. He turned and rolled up her bedroll and strapped it with everything else. Her weapons were all packed together with the rest of their belongings. She would be more comfortable if she didn't wear them today. He wrapped her thick black fur cloak around her shoulders and propped her up on Mikhaul's back and pulled himself into the saddle behind her. Once he had her settled against him they set out.

Finally they were back on the trail, headed back to the Company. Mikhaul didn't need direction, so Kili just held Rylee against him, making sure she didn't fall from the mare. Holding her tight against him the day before drove him to agony due to lust, today he was in agony due to her state of sheer exhaustion. He was concerned for her welfare, having never before seen her so weak and vulnerable.

"This can't be comfortable for you." She said suddenly. Kili wasn't sure she actually spoke until he looked down at her, leaning against him, her back against his chest. Rylee turned to look up at him, eyelashes fluttering as she struggled to open them. When she finally did her stormy eyes glimmered in the daylight, her exhaustion was evident in them and it was mere seconds before she closed them once again. Then she turned into him, sitting sideways across his lap, snuggling her face into his chest and collar, "but you smell good and you are comfy for me."

Kili chuckled softly and whispered back, "I am comfortable enough Rylee, you go ahead and sleep."

"Okay, Kili, anything for you," Rylee said as she wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging to him. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face, and she hummed, a smile pulling up at her lips. He brushed his fingers from her brow to her cheek bone to her jaw. His thumb brushed over her bottom lip. She kissed his thumb, "you make me warm inside."

Kili could not believe her words, his stomach clenched with emotion at her confession in a state of vulnerability. He wanted to hear more, he wanted to know, "What do you feel when I touch you Rylee?"

He ran a hand down her back, down to her bottom to lift her higher into the saddle, closer to him. She moaned softly at the intimate contact and whispered, "Joy, pleasure, rapture, bliss."

"All of that from a single momentary touch?" Kili asked her softly, elation filled him as he grinned above her, her sleep induced confessions pleased him greatly. If she was more awake he would kiss her, he wanted to feel the softness of her lips on his once again. He wanted to taste her, and explore her, be the one to teach her the joys of kissing.

"Hmm, all other thoughts disappear," she confessed against his chest, her arms clung even tighter, then she admitted, "I can think only of you, Kili, you are entirely distracting."

She fell silent then, her breathing evened out as she fell back asleep curled tight against him, and her soft breaths warmed his collarbone. She was probably the most graceful Dwarf Kili ever met, definitely the most sensual, and she was more distracting than any Dwarrowdam he ever had the pleasure of getting to know. If ever there was a maid he wanted to court, it would be Rylee, but it was up to her to make the next move. Mikhaul said that Rylee was afraid and had admitted to not knowing the courting customs. If that was the case perhaps it would be acceptable to make his own rules and court her in his own way.

"I feel the same, Rylee," Kili whispered, as he kissed the top of her head, "I feel exactly the same."

He thought about what she did the day before, fighting the dragon, luring it, seducing it towards its own demise with her fire. The immense power of her magic, how she looked covered in deep red flames, giving him enough time to get into position to kill a dragon. Her powers of seduction sparked his imagination, and he wondered if he could do that with her, seduce her into making a move. He looked down at her, her arms wrapped around him. It would be worth a shot.

They rode for hours like that, Rylee sleeping peacefully in his arms as Mikhaul took them back to wherever the others were. Kili watched their surroundings, not realizing just how far they went the day before. Kili knew the moment that she fell under the throes of a nightmare. She tensed against him, her arms clinging tightly, she started to shake, and her breathing became uneven as though she was trying to fight something. She started to struggle against him as she woke from whatever terrors were chasing her, until he spoke, "It's alright Rylee, just a dream. I have you. You are safe with me."

"Kili!" Rylee gasped as she heard his voice in her ear. She struggled to get her bearings and figure out what was happening around her. It came back to her slowly a she pushed away the dreams that still clung to her exhausted mind. The fiery eye in her dreams was gone, but still she was having visions, premonitions of deaths, deaths of the company, and of herself. The image of Dori and Nori being crushed to death by a troll, and the twining bodies of two dragons were still vivid in her mind. She no longer felt like they were being followed and the darkness was greatly subdued, she gave a mental sigh of relief as she came awake.

"Just a dream Rylee, are you okay?" Kili asked looking down at her as the emotions of fear, pain, sorrow and relief flashed across her face.

"Aye, aye, I am alright," She whispered as she met his heavenly chocolate eyes, remembered that they were riding on Mikhaul's back returning to the others. A flash of her comments earlier on horseback flashed through her mind and she blushed as she realized what she confessed to him. She hoped for a moment that it was just a dream, but the sly look on his face told her that she most definitely said those things out loud. 'Oh Mahal, what did I do?' she thought, sending her thoughts to her father, she could almost hear him laughing at her. She promised herself she would keep him at a distance and instead she was telling him things that were secret, personal. 'I am such a lovesick fool,' she thought in annoyance and turned her thoughts to the events of the previous day. She looked up at him and grinned, "You killed a dragon, Kili."

"We killed a dragon, Rylee," Kili chuckled softly. They avenged his ancestors and destroyed a beast that long plagued the dwarves of the Grey Mountains. While he was proud that he had a hand in it he could not help but feel that Rylee was the only reason they were successful. "We killed it together."

"You gave the final blow, you brought him down," Rylee protested, insistent that he take some credit for the kill. "You did really well, you should be proud!"

"I am just happy we both survived, I promised Thorin you would be safe with me," Kili told her as she tried to sit up against him feeling her fingers dig deep into his shoulders as she moved. He pulled her back, helping her adjust upright since she seemed much more awake, holding her so she didn't fall off the great horse. "I never thought that hunting a stag would turn into hunting a dragon."

Rylee started to laugh and Kili wondered what he said that was so funny. He didn't find the humor in it whatsoever. At his questioning glance Rylee just laughed even harder. While he enjoyed the sound of her rich laughter, he wondered if she was laughing at him or at something else. It made him feel self-conscious so he snapped at her, "It's not funny Rylee, I thought you were going to die, and when you didn't wake up for a whole day I was worried."

"I apologize, Kili," Rylee said as she sobered up, his anger at her dampening her thoughts. "It's just your words reminded me of something that happened a long time ago."

"Why what happened?" Kili asked, he wanted to know everything about her. He wanted her to share herself with him.

"Hmm, I think I have told you enough confessions for one day, and I don't want to share with them." Rylee said indicating the group of dwarves looming before them. Recalling her confessions to him, she blushed uncomfortably from roots to toes. Did she really tell him all that? Damn, she was supposed to be pushing him away not falling even harder for him. She really was an idiot.

"Where the hell have you been? We expected you back last night." Thorin thundered at Kili, and then he saw Rylee curled in Kili's arms, her exhausted expression, the light dusting of ash that seemed to coat her, and a deep concern etched across his face. "What happened?"

Mikhaul answered, she kept it between Gandalf, Kili, Fili, and Thorin. "Mahal says it was a Cold Drake. They killed it together, but Rylee used Aglâbu Azrâdu'damâm on her weapons."

Thorin's eyes met Rylee's tired ones. "I warned you what we would find if we went hunting, Thorin. I was not wrong."

Worry creased Thorin's brow, "We will talk later. We need to find a place to camp for the night. She needs proper rest, and from the looks of it, so do you, Kili."

"Wait, Thorin, you knew that, that – Thing – was out there?" Kili asked in shock, he realized that they couldn't tell the others about the dragon, but Rylee and Thorin knew they would find a dragon? And Thorin let them go? Was that the reason why Rylee was so against him going hunting with her, because she knew she would find a dragon?

"This is what I hunt, Kili," Rylee whispered as she leaned against him, "this is why I need trilobate arrowheads."

* * *

><p>"It was a cold drake, Uncle, the same beast that killed Dain I and Fror, it called itself Esgaud," Kili told Thorin later that night once they made camp. Kili, Fili, and Thorin stood in a small clearing a ways away from the rest of the group along with Gandalf and Rylee. "It seemed to know Rylee. It was taunting her as though he remembered her from long ago. It acted like it was hunting her on purpose."<p>

"How is that possible?" Thorin asked Rylee, "Is it possible the beast survived since the First Age?"

"Of course it is possible," Rylee said softly, "the beast was ancient. But I don't remember ever meeting it, and I remember every kill, and every encounter with the dragons. I don't understand. For days I have been feeling this beast following me, along with it a sense of familiarity to it. How is it possible that I have no recollection to this beast? And who is Scatha?"

"Scatha?" Thorin turned to her in surprise, "What does the golden dragon have to do with this?"

"Supposedly I killed the beast," Rylee was pacing, restless and aggravated. Green and gold flashed before her eyes, twining with silver and blue. Both beasts had red eyes. She could see the dragons, picture both in her mind, but she did not remember anything about the events the beast spoke of. "Who is Scatha? When did he die, who killed him? What happened?

"Scatha was a Long-worm, a wingless fire drake, he was killed by Fram some nine-hundred fourty one years ago." Gandalf told Rylee sagely meeting her confused gaze. "He was beheaded, a great feat for a mere man. There was a dispute over the dragon's hoard that led to Fram's death."

"Fram insulted the dwarves by giving them only a necklace made of Dragon Teeth." Thorin added with a look of scorn on his face. "A great portion of that treasure was rightfully ours, stolen from our people by Scatha."

"But Esgaud said that Rylee killed Scatha, but not until after Scatha used magic on Fram," Kili mused in bewilderment. He met Rylee's eyes and he could see that she was easily just as perplexed as he. "He said that the White One did something to her before she vanished."

Rylee looked at Gandalf again and narrowed her gaze as she recalled those words, "Who is the White One? And why do I not remember any of it?"

Gandalf stood suddenly and approached Rylee, "Let me see you, child."

"What? What is it, Gandalf?" Rylee asked looking up into the wizard's blue-grey eyes. He pressed his thumb and forefinger to her forehead and whispered in Quenya. Rylee felt a pressure on her mind and Gandalf's hand began to shake before he suddenly pulled his hand away from her as though he was being burned.

"Your mind is blocked!" Gandalf gasped stepping away, "There is powerful magic sealing your memories. I cannot unlock them."

"What do you mean? Gandalf, I need answers!" Rylee was quite upset by this news. She remembered the feeling of illness as she confronted the beast. The shifting of her memories and the flashes of images plagued her. "There is darkness growing around us, I feel it, Mikhaul feels it! I need to know what is going on! How am I supposed to complete my quest if I do not know what dangers there are awaiting us?"

He looked at her with a great amount of concern, "I can only tell you of what I know about it, I was not there for the end of Scatha. If you were there, then it was not with me as your guide."

"But you are always my guide," Rylee shook her head in frustration, "Who else would meet me in Middle-Earth that has the ear of the Valar?"

"I suggest you speak to Saruman the White," Gandalf advised her gently.

Rylee met his gaze, "This Saruman, he is the White One?"

"It is just a theory, but being the head of the White council, he would be the best one to ask about this," Gandalf said with a short nod.

"How can I find Saruman? I am in the middle of a quest, and the effects of whatever block is on my memory nearly disabled me during battle," Rylee was seething in frustration. How could she not remember? If the dragon was telling the truth then she was missing an entire life! She could not remember fighting Scatha! It was possible that Esgaud was lying to her, but if that was the case why did he feel so familiar? Why did she feel like she was once acquainted with his aura of darkness? At least some of what Esgaud told her was truth, it felt true, but whom or what could have the power to block her memory? "It took a lot of energy to break free of whatever hold it had on me, in order to wield a simple weapon spell."

"Perhaps you should refrain from using your fire or magic until you figure this out," Thorin said quietly, he was speaking out of concern. He just did not want to see her get hurt and if a simple weapons spell could drive her into a dead sleep for a full day, he did not care to know what a greater spell could do to her.

"The Fire energized her, Uncle. It was the Blood Magic language that tired her." Kili protested in defense of Rylee who was now pointedly glaring at Thorin for even making the suggestion. "Putting power into her weapons was what tired her, but it also was what killed the dragon. I would never have been able to cut through its flesh without it."

"She is damn lucky that you were there to help her!" Thorin growled glaring back at Rylee, "Must you fight me on everything? All I am asking is that you stop using magic until you know what it is that is holding you back! Is that so much to ask?"

Gandalf huffed in frustration and walked away, headed back towards camp. Rylee watched him go before turning back to Thorin. She met his eye and snapped, "I am not going to stop using my powers just because it takes more energy than usual."

"I thought you said you accepted her blood magic," Kili said quietly in frustration. The tension amongst them was nearly unbearable. He was uncomfortable and he could see that Fili felt the same.

"I accept that it is part of her, in fact I find it quite beautiful," Thorin growled angrily, how many times did he need to repeat himself? "I just don't like the fact that it takes so much from her. You saw what it did to her, the fire magic she used the other night was on a very small dagger, and you saw how tired and weak she was. She barely made it to her bedroll before she passed out. One spell against a dragon and she was defenseless for a full day! What if you were not there? What happens next?"

If someone came across her when she was weak, what harm would they do to her? If the wrong person got a hold of her and tried to abuse her powers, what would happen then? Thorin worried about this above all others. His family was prone to dragon sickness, what if he fell under the same spell as his grandfather and he tried to use Rylee? He knew that he was as much a danger to her as anyone else, yet he still wanted to protect her from others.

"What if she is weakened by it because she does not use it often enough?" Fili suggested quietly, thoughtfully. Rylee met his eyes, thankful for a voice of reason. "She only uses it when she absolutely must. It does not sound like she has received proper training so wouldn't she get stronger the more she uses it?"

"Do you want to tempt fate lad?" Thorin hollered at him, Rylee flinched from where she stood, all these arguments and more she used the last time they argued about her use of magic. "She received training in Aman, but it seems that she has as much control over the flame during magic as she does cooking."

Rylee ran her hands down her face in frustration; it was the same old argument, over and over again. He hated it when she used too much magic, she always overtaxed herself. Rylee didn't bother telling them that the Valar only taught her how to use simple blood magic. None of them knew what her magic truly was until she was already journeying in Middle-Earth searching with Olorin for a suitable host or hostess. They found out later that it was much, much more than that, her power went beyond her blood and into her soul and her very essence. When they finally discovered what her magic consisted of, Manwë sent a message through Mikhaul to seek out Jovina. Jovina was the only person who could help teach Rylee to control the powers, and Jovina was long gone, having disappeared during the battle of Gondolin.

"Is it possible that she needs a staff like Gandalf to direct her power?" Kili asked softly.

"That was what the Star of Ilúvatar was for," Rylee whispered, her head in her hands, "And it is lost."

"Lost or stolen?" Thorin asked her his voice was harsh, angry, she flinched visibly.

"Lost, stolen, does it really make a difference? Over six thousand years have passed since it was last in my possession. Do you really think that it will still have the power it once did?" Rylee snarled at him, she was getting really fed up with this whole conversation. "Even if it does, do you really think that the people who have it are going to give it back? They were powerful in the First Age, not even Olorin or Galadriel were able to get it back from them."

"Who stole it from you, Rylee?" Thorin asked her this time softly.

"Oropher stole it, thinking he could use it as leverage against me and gave it to his son, as my betrothal token. Thranduil refused to return it to me. He said that it was his right to carry it, as he was my betrothed." Rylee said with barely leashed rage. She closed her eyes for a moment before she looked at Thorin and his nephews. "I am done with this conversation. I do not want to talk about it anymore."

"We are not done with this conversation," Thorin told her sternly. "When you were in the healing tent, when they stole it, it was because of the magic wasn't it? You over did it and made yourself vulnerable and they took advantage, didn't they?"

"What was I supposed to do, let the Balrogs smash the citadel with everyone inside it? Thousands of children, dwarves, elves, and men. All of whom were hiding from the horrors that were attacking the city. Of course I used my magic, and I would do it again and again and again, if it means saving the lives of innocent people! You think that I used my magic frivolously? That it was just for the sake of making a weapon?" Rylee turned on Thorin with a snarl and both Kili and Fili flinched back in near horror. They never spoke to Thorin as she was, they would never dare. "I don't know how I did it, but with my magic I was able to hold back the Balrogs and weaken them so they could be slain. When I use magic it is for a bloody reason, Thorin!"

"Why do you think that they stole the gem Rylee?" Thorin barked at her returning her rage, "They were trying to gain control over you, and from the sounds of it, it worked!"

"Did it Thorin? Kaia and I successfully put off the wedding for four years, I figured out the meaning to my dreams on my own, and I fulfilled my last quest, or at least the last one that I remember." Rylee was pacing. Her voice little more than a growl as she prowled between them, her eyes flashing and her power threading through her voice, making them all shiver, she was on a rampage now, "They thought that through the stone, they could use me and my power, but that is not how my power works! The jewel only stores and channels my energy, not my actual power! The power is from inside me, the desire and need to create must come from within me, and it cannot be forced. I am the only one who can use it. Do you want to know why? The language is my own, I created it. It cannot be taught to another, only felt. You cannot manipulate that. I know you don't like it but I will continue to use my magic, when and how I see fit! You can either take it or leave it, but that is the way it is!"

Once again they were staring each other down, Queen evenly matched against King, standing toe to toe. If it came to blows Fili was not certain who would win. Neither one was willing to back down.

"Why must you be so stubborn! All I am asking of you is to not be careless! You make it sound like I want you to stop using magic! I just don't want you to use it recklessly!" Thorin hollered at her.

"Back to that again are we?" Rylee scoffed caustically, "Too reckless, to tempestuous, too impatient! I am not a child! I have been battle tested for decades. When are you going to trust me to know what I am doing!"

"When you stop acting like a child! When you start thinking strategically, as you were taught to!" Thorin yelled at her.

"I have commanded armies Thorin Oakenshield! You have never seen me in battle! You have no right! No right at all to judge me!" Rylee screamed back, her electric eyes were sparking with white fire. "I planned the attack on the Dragon! I even told Kili what I needed him to do and I only used my magic because Kili was there!"

"Do not tell me that you would not have used magic if Kili was not there," Thorin said his voice dropping into a cold threatening whisper. "You would have used your power regardless. You might have wielded a different spell, but you would have used it still."

"No, you are right, I would have," Rylee said her voice was deadly cold in response, "because it is mine to use as I see fit. Now if you don't mind, I am going to sleep, so I can have yet another nightmare about the future that I am somehow supposed to change. With or without that stone, I will succeed in this quest."

Rylee turned on her heel and walked away, going back down the trail, heading back towards their camp and her bedroll. Fili and Kili both watched her go with troubled looks on their faces. They looked at each other and then turned to Thorin. Fili asked quietly, "You don't think you were a little harsh on her?"

"That damn girl is going to be the death of me yet!" Thorin spat turning towards the stunned faces of Fili and Kili. "Never has another soul torn me apart like she does. Even at your worst, you two were never as difficult as she is."

"I take it your talk did not go very well," Balin said as he and Dwalin joined them, coming up the same path that Rylee just departed on.

"What gave it away?" Thorin growled, his bright blue eyes flashing in the low light.

Dwalin quirked a brow at him and asked, "You mean other than the screaming match between the pair of you?"

Thorin didn't answer. He was just too frustrated. Every time he thought things were going well between himself and Rylee, they would get into a spat, over her battle tactics or her magic. It was like they were rehashing the same fight over and over again.

Dwalin smirked and continued as though Thorin's response was inconsequential, "Nothing really, Rylee said something about stuffing dragons' teeth where the sun don't shine and seeing how long it would take before you actually gave a shit."

"Son of a Goblin sucking Orc!" Thorin swore vehemently, as Fili and Kili shared a look of surprise. It took a lot to get their uncle to swear, they both knew that a person had to push just the right buttons and Rylee seemed exceptionally adept at it. "She pushes every boundary, breaks every rule. Ever since that first bloody hunt she has been out of control."

Kili looked up sharply, watching his uncle with open curiosity. Her first hunt? The one where she got the scars?

"She used to be such a joyful child, curious about everything. We all doted on her, myself and all of the Valar," Thorin sighed in frustration as he thought back to the girl she once was. "Ever since that hunt, ever since Yavanna and Nienna had a falling out and Eru ordered them and her to sever ties, she has been relentless, reckless and angry. I swear she enjoys defying me at every step. When will she get it through her thick head that I just want what is best for her?"

"Give the lass some time, Thorin," Balin said gravely, "It has been seven years since she was under your guidance, and she is used to being alone now. She is used to leading people."

Dwalin looked thoughtfully at Thorin, "Your relationship with her reminds me of you and your father, Thorin. She acts more like your daughter than your student."

"Aye," Balin nodded in agreement looking at Thorin with a twinkle in his eyes, "Mother always used to say, 'the curse of Dwarflings is you always get at least one like yourself.'"

"That's great," Dwalin said sarcastically, slapping his hand hard on Thorin's shoulder, withholding a small grin. "Just what the world needs, a female version of Thorin."


	11. Silence

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

**This chapter is just iddy-biddy in comparison to the others. It was originally part of the next chapter, but then the dream grew, and the fall out grew... **

**Oh! Dragons! They make things so complicated for Rylee.**

**Many thanks for the reviews Axle Beau, ****zZhell-butterflyZz and**** ro781727 your f****eedback is always greatly appreciated. The behind the scenes conversations are my favorites! :D**

**Thanks ****for the follows and favorites.**

**Love you all so much!**

Chapter 11

Silence

May 13 - 17

Was it a nightmare, or a memory? She was not sure anymore. Since confronting Esgaud her dreams were even more chaotic than ever before. Every night the same dream haunted her, it would repeat in a loop over and over again until she woke.

_"Unravel the knots of Silver and Gold." She and a faceless man wearing brown leather and green wool approached the mountain together. The man ordered his men to stay back. They were not to engage the dragons. As they entered the mountain and delved deep into the treasure hoard, they came across the beasts. Rylee looked up at them. Though rather large, the matching gold and silver pair of Wyverns were not unbeatable. She had taken on much, much worse. _

_The man left her side to flank the gold dragon, his sword drawn. Rylee pulled out her axes and ran at the dragons, keeping their attention on her and not on her partner. The golden dragon reared back, his chest flaring red and orange as he prepared to spew fire. She took the hit of flame head on, allowing it to wash over her, flare around her and ignite her spark. "Unravel the knots of Silver and Gold." A voice whispered around her, it was a familiar voice, dark and seductive._

_Fully aflame Rylee stopped in front of the beasts holding her axes up, the left in a guard and the right overhand ready to engage. Then she began to chant. It was not a song she ever remembered using before. The flames went wild around her elongating, twining together, becoming ropes of flame, both of the dragons watched her, their taunts and jeers came to an end as they watched her. She confronted the dragon alone. The man was gone. She was bitterly alone with the two metallic scaled beasts. _

_She wove her spells and the ropes of fire arced away from her axes and began to wrap around the dragons. Tethering them, tying them down within the burning grips of the deep red fire, she heard them screaming in surprise and in pain. While the Golden One spewed fire, the Silver One spewed ice. Dousing her with frost and snow making her fiery ropes flicker, sizzle and spark violently. It was just enough for the Golden Beast to take command of her flaming threads through magic of its own. It pulled on the ropes of her flame, pulling so tight that Rylee felt pain as the cord of fire snapped taut. Sucking the flames back into its lungs, Rylee released the flame in surprise letting it flicker out. The entire chamber fell into darkness. _

_Again the voice told her darkly, "Unravel the knots of Silver and Gold." There was a scream then, from the Golden Monster as a sword pierced through the top of its mouth. Another scream from the Silver Fiend as its brother died. A third scream filled the air. It came from behind her, startling Rylee as a terrible pain ripped through her heart. Rylee looked down. From the center of her chest protruded a blade. The point of Blood Mithril could be seen through the rivers of blood that flowed from the wound, dripping and drenching her heavy coat. _

_Then she fell backwards. Falling, Falling, Falling. Like when she was being sent to a new life, like she was about to begin again, in a new quest. She landed in someone's arms, and Rylee's first thought was 'Kili'. Looking up expecting to see her beloved, she screamed in horror at the countenance above her. It was Him, The Deceiver. Sauron. _

_She tried to scream but her jaw was immovable. She tried to move, to escape, but she was frozen, still as a statue, carved from granite, entombed in stone. There was nothing that she could do to break free from her prison. She could only stare up into the fair visage of the dark minion of Morgoth._

_He was dressed as a man, straight black hair falling long and silky down his back. He was beautiful in this form, even she had to admit that. His skin was golden in the light of her nightmare, it accentuated his deep dark eyes, framed by fine arched brows. He wore black clothes, black tunic, black cloak and a tall sharp black crown. He was handsome, alluring, and tempting._

_Rylee knew instinctively that it was just one of his many faces, for he was a shape shifter, a changeling. He could change his face and form at will. It was how the betrayer deceived the Valar for years. _

_"Come to me, My Love, come to me. Let me take you away from this pain. Let me take you away from the dark life that the Valar have trapped you in." His voice was soft and sweet and seductive. He caressed her face and touched her hair. She would have flinched away in pain if she could react to either. "Men, Dwarves, Elves, they pale in comparison to the wonder that was forged into you. You are greatness; you are the embodiment of all life. Your power is wasted saving the lives of weak men, stubborn Dwarves and arrogant Elves. You are more than they are. Come away with me, out of the clutches of those who would use you. I would teach you control. Your power, combined with mine, we would be formidable together."_

_She was screaming inside of her mind. She was crying and screaming for an escape from his entrapment. She was imprisoned, her rage burned from within her frozen body. Rylee beat against it from the inside, fighting against him tooth and nail. Giving every part of herself to fight but nothing she did could remove what bound her. _

_"Come to me, My Love, let me take the loneliness away. You will never have to be alone again Runyatari. Be my queen as I take this world and pare away the filth and lay waste to the chaos that fills it." He kept talking in his careful, calming, cajoling voice. Softly caressing her face and hair, he caused shivers of pain to run down her frozen frame, as he attempted to seduce her. "Men, Elves, Dwarves, all those creatures the Valar unleashed upon this world. They are a blight on it. I will fix that. I will create a world with order. It will function under my rule. I alone will create beauty out of all this. I will create it for you, my beautiful fire queen. You will be my morning star, bright as the light of the sun, calm as a harvest moon."_

_"Release me! Release me from this nightmare!" Rylee screamed inside her mind. All the while Sauron continued to croon to her, how he would make her his queen. _

_"Come to me, My Love, let me love you as you deserve to be. You are beautiful, Rylee Emitheral, Daughter of Aulë. Such beauty is wasted among Dwarves, Elves and Men. Come to me and allow me to appreciate your lovely visage. I alone would dote on you. I would embrace you. I would teach you control." Still he whispered to her. Endearments, soft promises and sweet nothings rolled off of his golden tongue as he tried to pull her into darkness. "Let me adore you as only you deserve to be. Let me share with you the visions of my world. Allow me to show you how great it can be with you beside me as my queen."_

_"Liar! You are a liar, Sauron! You know nothing of love! You do not want me as a queen, you want to crush me as you have crushed all others. You want to use my power to destroy the world." Rylee fought ever harder in his ever tightening grip. She tried to fight him. Biting, screaming, scratching, clawing, kicking anything in an attempt to free herself, but she was trapped. Powerless. Paralyzed. The more she fought him, the more he pressed her into her frozen form. _

_"Do not fight me Rylee, there is no use. Not with the darkness of Ungoliant within you. As much as you fight it, you need it. You need the darkness to see the world around you. You need me!" Sauron growled in anger. _

_Visions of Beleriand flashed before her eye, Ancalagon, crushing the triple peaked mountains of the Thangorodrim. Fields of bodies lay before her, as far as her eyes could see. Standards held in dead hands waved limply in a tepid wind, fires raged around her. The smell of burning flesh assaulted her nose and the ashes of the dead fell upon her body like freshly fallen snow. Dragons rose around her, devouring the charred carcasses of the fallen and fighting the great powers of the Valar. _

_Then the world began to crumble, the ground beneath her feet began to quake, she could not keep her footing. Massive chunks of land fell into the ocean, creating great waves that washed over the land. Still the Valar fought on against Morgoth and Sauron and their host of dark creatures. One by one she watched them fall. Varda, Nienna, Manwë, Yavanna, Ulmo and Mandos, followed by the others, one by one until they were all defeated. Rylee tried to reach them, to fight beside her family, but as she reached them, their bodies turned to ash and were swept away on a gust of dragons' breath. Mahal and Eru remained and she ran to help them. _

_She didn't know when she regained the use of her body, but she ran to their sides as they were struck down by Morgoth. She screamed in horror, falling to her knees between them, "No! Father! Eru! Not you too! Please, No!"_

_She touched them, their silent pale faces and they began to crumble under her fingers, flaking away to nothing in her hands. She screamed in terror as they were carried away like dust on the wind._

_Another battlefield flashed before her eyes. More bodies filled the fields, their blood coating the rocky ground. She stumbled over severed limbs and discarded body parts and weapons as she made her way to a familiar family crest. Her friends lay pale and grey on either side of her path, each with an array of battle wounds. The Company was decimated. She sobbed in pain and rage as she staggered along towards the crest. She lost all hope when she saw their bodies, deformed and broken and headless. Thorin, Fili, and Kili. Dead._

_"No!" Rylee screamed looking around her at the sea of death that encompassed her. "No!"_

_She heard his familiar mirthless laugh. She turned and he became as she last saw him, a dark shadow in a tall black crown, so similar to that of Morgoth. He pointed to the top of a tall lone mountain peak and she knew she had to go in that direction. She ran for the mountain, and was joined by a man in brown leather and green wool. Together they approached the mountain. Ungoliant's voice whispering in her ears, "Unravel the knots of Silver and Gold." She looked at her companion, but she could not see his face, she did not know his name, but here he was again. They were back at the beginning of the dream._

Fourth Watch Early morning of May 17

"Thorin, wake up," Dori whispered in the darkness, touching his king on the shoulder.

"What? What is it?" Thorin said reaching instantly for his sword.

"Time for your watch," Dori answered with a concerned look on his face. "You wanted to see, remember?"

"Right," Thorin sat up and his eyes instantly landed on the small Dwarrowdam. He was concerned for Rylee, they all were, at least those who knew something was wrong, Balin, Dwalin, Fili, Kili and Dori. Ever since Rylee and Kili came back from fighting the dragon there was something dreadfully wrong with the girl. It was Mikhaul that alerted Kili, and Kili told Fili, and both of his nephews told him. He saw immediately what they meant. Rylee usually moved in her sleep, as restless in her slumber as she was in daylight. Tonight she slept unmoving on her back. "How long has she been like this?"

"All night, Fili said it happened like the other nights. She would roll from her side onto her back and then that was it," Dori informed him quietly. The fussy dwarf who doted on his brothers was looking down at Rylee with that same expression he reserved for Ori. He was completely concerned. "She's been like that ever since. What do you think could be wrong with her?"

"I don't know yet, I want to see her wake up, I need to see what Kili is talking about," Thorin said as he rose from his bedroll. It was last watch. Rylee's watch. Usually her dreams would wake her during second watch and she would send everyone but her partner to their beds, but for the past five days, it was different. Ever since the dragon Rylee slept, figuratively, like the dead.

Rylee was lying on her back, unmoving. Her hands lay on the ground on each side of her. She looked as one would when lying in state. She was still as a statue, still as carven stone. Her breaths were even and deep, but rare, every ten seconds or so. The most movement was the constant flicker of her eyes underneath her eyelids. Every once in a while she would whine softly from her throat. Every night she was like this. At first they thought it was just a minor thing, but what put everyone on high alert was the way she woke up. After five nights of no change, Thorin arranged to have watch with her so that he could be there for when they woke her.

"I told you it was bad, Uncle," Kili said from the other side of her. He sat beside Mikhaul's head, the mare watching Rylee intently.

Thorin knelt beside her, and put his hand on her shoulder. For a long moment there was no reaction at all, but the moment he squeezed her eyes popped open. It was eerie. Grey, lifeless, unseeing eyes stared back. Then she took a breath, deep and fast as though she was coming up for air after being underwater. A flash of terror crossed her face, then she focused on Thorin and relief pushed away the terror and white sparks burst into her eyes. She blinked a couple times and sat up.

"Why does everyone wake me up with that same expression of worry? Do not tell me it is nothing, I am tired of the lies. I know there is something wrong because the dreams are wrong." Rylee looked at Thorin and tried to force her heart to slow down. The fear that was flowing through her was beyond anything she ever felt before. "Tell me why, Thorin."

"I can't really explain it Rylee, you look like you are sleeping, but not." Thorin said quietly, meeting her gaze. He would not lie to her. He was concerned, but if no one told her what they saw, how was she to fix it? "You look like you are dead, motionless, and still, as though something is holding you in place. When you wake it is like that same thing has sucked the life right out of you."

Rylee groaned and put her head in her hands. "Not something. Someone."

"What?" Thorin reared back away from her. Kili moved closer out of concern, and Dori just looked completely confused.

"In my dreams, Sauron is holding me down, I cannot move, I can barely breathe. All the while I am screaming on the inside." Rylee told them. She felt exhausted, as though she got no rest at all through the night. "I just want a proper sleep with the normal nightmares."

"When is the last time you had a proper sleep, Rylee?" Kili asked quietly, from his place by Mikhaul.

"On the ride back," Rylee whispered softly. Then she looked at Kili, "That's not true though is it? When we were in camp, you said I slept for a full day. I didn't have a nightmare until the ride back."

"That was different Rylee," Kili returned softly, shaking his head slowly, "You slept much like you usually do. Restlessly, you breathed normally, and you whispered or hummed or moved in your sleep. These last days, only your eyes move. The rest of you, it's like you are entombed."

"I need to talk to Gandalf and I need to spend some time at a fire." Rylee sighed in frustration. There had been little time or any good place for a proper bath for the past five days, so there was no chance for her to use her fire.

"But you were engulfed in flame while fighting the dragon," Kili argued softly, not angrily, he just didn't understand.

Rylee sighed and looked at him and then at Thorin and Dori, "Using fire in battle is different, things get muddy, and bloody. I can become contaminated, as can my flame. The only way to get rid of the taint is to burn, that could take hours."

"Do it today," Thorin nodded meeting her surprised eyes, "Once we are on the road, you speak to Gandalf, then you go do what you must. Meet us tonight, and we will watch over you and see -."

"And see if the dream changes," Rylee whispered with a slight nod. She climbed out of her bedroll and packed up for the day. A few hours of watch, then they would break camp and she could do what she needed to do.

Five days of the same dream, again and again and again. She just could not take it anymore. After seven years of battling the dark creatures of Morgoth, Dragons, Balrogs, Werewolves, Bats, Orcs, Vampires, Wargs, Trolls, she faced them all, killed so many, and yet she felt utterly defeated. She talked to Mikhaul about it, venting her frustration, but there was nothing the great mare could do. Other than sympathize, which she did, Mikhaul felt powerless. Rylee just grew overwhelmed. Day after day her emotions brewed, and festered like an angry wound. So many dragons, constant battle, never ending war, the uncountable losses, it was too much to bear and Rylee was not sure how much longer she could hold it inside.

* * *

><p>The warm spring days were getting warmer, and the road seemed almost unending. Kili was once again rehashing the battle against Esgaud with the company. After Thorin gave his blessing, Kili shared everything he could remember with the entire group. The only part he left out was his conversation with Mahal. It was a promise he made and one he would keep, though it was killing him to not be able to tell Fili, he knew that it would hurt Rylee to know she missed seeing her father. The Company kept asking more and more questions about it, and Kili was more than pleased to answer them. At least, that was for the first five times, after that he became quite weary with the questions. Kili noticed that Rylee too, was becoming frustrated with the tale. Every time someone asked about the dragon, Rylee would sigh and walk away.<p>

Rylee and Mikhaul were becoming restless. They were finally out on the trail and Rylee was waiting for a moment when Gandalf was not in conversation with anyone, since she didn't want to be rude and interrupt. While she waited she mostly kept to herself unless Fili or Bofur pulled her into a conversation. She avoided Kili, not wanting to think about what she confessed on the way back to the Company. The depths of her feelings for him haunted her. She loved him and didn't want him to be dragged into her messy life.

The dreams were tearing her to pieces. The mystery of the golden dragon added to the darkness that followed her and the grief over the people she lost. Feeling more and more weighed down, Rylee had so many questions and she needed answers.

There was only one person in the company who could answer them. Rylee left Fili's side as Ori dropped back to ask yet more questions about the dragon. Kili rolled his eyes and started to tell his tale yet again. Rylee just huffed in annoyance as she and Mikhaul moved into position beside Gandalf, "Who is Saruman the White?"

"Oh! Rylee! I was not expecting you!" Gandalf started looking across at Rylee. He sat tall on his horse, and she was so small on the back of Mikhaul, that they were eye to eye.

"You are Maia, and were sent as Istari to help with the darkness," Rylee said softly, keeping her conversation low. The dreams, the recent fight with Esgaud, and the mysterious dragon called Scatha worried her greatly. She didn't like it, not one bit. "You said you were one of five, who is Saruman?"

"He is Aulë's servant, Curumo," Gandalf replied softly, watching Rylee's face. It didn't change, her eyes sparked in recognition, but otherwise she was hiding her emotions.

"You think he would have been the one to meet me for Scatha?" Rylee asked softly. She remembered Curumo with fondness, he was often in Aulë's presence when she was growing up, and they became friends over time. She remembered taking a tumble off of Mikhaul as a young child and he was the one to come to her aid. Rylee was a busy child and even though she often got in his way, he would, more often than not, give her something to distract her, or he would invite her to help him puzzle something out. As she grew, they often studied together, she learned a great deal from the Maia.

"As Aulë's servant it makes the most sense for him to meet you, since we were already here." Gandalf told her, trying to recall of the events of that time. "I was travelling in the west at that time, and Saruman and the Blue Wizards went east. He would have been closer to you, and as Aulë's Maia, he would be the ideal escort for you during that life."

There was just too much going on. Rylee was beginning to feel plagued with all of these new revelations, "Could it really be possible that I was here? I don't remember anything but flashes, and unless my dreams are based in truth, it makes no sense to me."

"I think it very possible," Gandalf said as he pondered her questions and her last years. "If you were here, it would not have been for long. Thorin said seven years had passed since he last heard from you." Rylee nodded, and Gandalf continued his thoughts, as she ruminated on what he was telling her, "You died in the Thangorodrim in the dead of winter, and arrived at Bilbo's at the end of April. If the events happened back to back like they always do for you, then you are missing six months of time. Six months is more than enough time to confront Scatha."

"Esgaud said he was there, Gandalf," Rylee whispered as her stomach tightened in worry. "I have never let a dragon get past me and I can't shake this awful feeling that I have in my heart. In my dreams I hear whispers, Ungoliant's whispers. Telling me to 'Unravel the Knots of Silver and Gold'. I swear Gandalf that sounds like the edict of a quest to me."

"And what would it mean, do you think?" Gandalf asked her watching her face. There was a flash of emotion behind her eyes, but otherwise her face remained a hard cold mask.

"I don't know for certain, and I won't until I see Curumo again," Rylee said trying to shake off the fears that were building inside of her. "My fear is that I failed."

They were silent for a long time, but neither moved away from each other. Content to ride side by side, enjoying the bright sunshine and the fresh air from the backs of their horses, neither was willing to speak what was on their minds. It was Mikhaul who broke the silence for them, "Is it just me, or are you both skirting the bigger issue that is at hand?"

"What do you mean, Mikhaul?" Gandalf said in surprised consternation. He had a feeling where this conversation was going, and he was not certain that he was interested in discussing it with Rylee.

"Tell him of your dreams Rylee," Mikhaul whispered in their minds, her voice soft and cajoling. "Tell Gandalf what you have been seeing."

She told him, of the man in brown and green, of the two dragons, of the fire that she used, and the way her own dagger pierced her through the back, impaling her heart. She could hear Ungoliant's whispers, Sauron's seduction, the fall of the Valar, and the death of the Company of Thorin Oakenshield every night in her dreams. "Sauron is back isn't he? These are not just dreams are they? Was he not punished by the Valar for his indiscretions?"

Rylee looked at Gandalf who oddly squirmed under the weight of the question. He did not want to answer her! What happened that her old friend did not want to share information with her? Her voice was a low harsh whisper, "He was not! Was he? The Deceiver got away! Tell me what happened, Gandalf, you must tell me what has become of Sauron!"

"Aye, he escaped the judgment of the Valar by going into hiding." Gandalf hissed at her, he kicked his horse into a gallop and rode far ahead motioning for her and Mikhaul to follow. Once they were far ahead of the others he slowed his horse back to a walk and continued, still speaking softly, "He stayed in hiding for centuries building his power and gathering forces. He set himself up in Mordor and built himself a fortress near Mount Doom, and started gathering a great army to him."

"It sounds like he did much the same as Morgoth did at Angband," Rylee nodded recognizing the influence of the Dark One over Sauron. "Go on Gandalf."

"Wanting ever more control over Middle-Earth, he had nineteen rings fashioned. There is much dispute regarding who created the rings, and what their original purposes were, but that is neither here nor there. There were Three made for the Elves, Seven for each of the Dwarven Clans, and Nine for the Kings of Men. For himself, Sauron created the One Ring that would bind all of the others to his, and thus give him the power to control all of the free people of Middle-Earth. The moment he put on his ring, the Elves knew that the rings were created with treachery in mind. They removed them and hid them away. It is felt that this is the only reason that Sauron's attempt did not work."

"So he tried to take over Middle-Earth? He was obviously not successful." Rylee said looking around, it was pretty obvious that the world was still free, but that did not mean that Sauron was defeated, and it did not explain what she was feeling. It did not explain what she was seeing in her dreams.

"Nay after many years and many wars Sauron was defeated by Gil-Galad and Elendil. Sauron put so much of himself into the One Ring that when Elendil's son, Isildur, cut the ring from Sauron's hand his life force was dispersed, allowing him to use the power of the ring to rise again." Gandalf told her quietly, it was obvious that he was not comfortable talking about such dark tidings. Rylee realized that it must be because she was such a dark soul herself. He would never admit it, but he worried about her, she was well aware of it. "Saruman, myself, and the three others were sent after his fall because the Valar feared that he would grow in the shadows once again. They were not wrong. We have been finding evidence of his movements for years."

"So I am not wrong when I say that I am being watched from the shadows." Rylee stated thoughtfully. Now that she knew who was sending monsters after her, she could fight back. She could prepare herself for the darkness that was to come for her. Mikhaul was right when she said that darkness was growing. "I take it you know where he is hiding."

"You are not wrong," Gandalf agreed looking over at the small Dwarrowdam. She seemed a little lighter after such a dark conversation. "As for the other-."

"Do not tell me," Rylee said meeting his eyes, she shook her head gravely, "I do not want to know where he is. Unless he has something directly to do with my quest, I will leave him and the darkness to you and the others. I know my place and it is here with Thorin and his Company."

"If he comes for you Rylee, you may not have any choice," Gandalf advised her gently.

Rylee nodded and smiled softly, "He will not come for me, Gandalf, he will send his beasts and his creatures, but he will not come himself. Even with a mere spark of light in my soul, I am stronger than his darkness."

Rylee and Mikhaul reported to Thorin that they were leaving and headed off to find a place where Rylee could perform her cleansing rituals.


	12. When the Bough Breaks

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Chapter 12

When the Bough Breaks

May 17

Thorin's thoughts drifted into the events of the days since his argument with Rylee regarding the use of her magic. Rylee remained distant from him. Their relationship was tenuous at best. He knew he needed to talk to her. After taking time to think about what he told her, he knew that he was being rash. He often was when it came to her. He understood that the magic was part of her, that she needed to use it and practice it in order to gain control over it. As much as it terrified him, she needed to know how to use the gifts she was given, which was why he told her to leave and do what she must.

Regardless of their differences, Thorin was grateful for Rylee's presence amongst the company and not just because she worked hard or for the protection she offered to them. She brought him joy, and a small fraction of pride, when he saw the results of his teachings. She was as kindred to him as Fili and Kili were, and yet even more so. After watching Dis and Sevrin with Kili and Fili, he wanted to have a family of his own. The chance never arose, and he never found a Dwarrowdam who suited him. When he was in the dream world watching Rylee grow, he wanted nothing more than to be more of a parent to her. Even though he knew that she was not his, Thorin could not help but feel that Rylee was his child in so many ways.

Even Mahal knew of the extent of his feelings for Rylee. In fact Mahal encouraged him and told Thorin that someday he would need to be there for Rylee in ways that only a Dwarf could be. That was before Rylee broke the rules set out for her and caused a rift amongst the Valar. When Eru told them all to sever ties, Thorin just could not break that bond, no matter how hard he tried. He loved Rylee. In his heart she was his daughter. He just wanted to keep her safe. He was worried about her, especially since this new problem arose, and Rylee's dreams were affecting her so obviously. The problem was that they did not know how to communicate with each other. Everything between them seemed to become tainted, twisted and blown out of proportion. They argued more than they spoke, Rylee seemed to know this too, since they just stayed silent around each other.

She was more withdrawn than ever, quieter and more thoughtful. He knew this mood. She was holding her emotions so tight inside her that she was going to burst. It was only a matter of time when the dam would break and she would shatter, it was just a matter of when. Her frame of mind was so gloomy that Thorin was sure that she would have distanced herself from the rest of the company. He hadn't even said anything, just quirked a brow in question and off she went. Fili and Bofur would not allow it, and kept drawing Rylee into conversations and discussions. She was definitely avoiding Kili, though she watched him hungrily from her place in the outskirts of camp. Thorin caught her twice and both times she grumbled in frustration and stalked angrily away from camp.

Still she kept her end of her bargain and pulled her weight doing chores in the camp. She made herself useful in any way she could, either starting a fire, or keeping watch, or scouting, or gathering wood. Oin and Gloin often teased her that the wood she brought back was cleaner than the bowls they ate out of, not a spider or bug to be found on them. She gave everyone a break from their assigned jobs, except for Bombur, to whom she gave praise instead. The rotund red head doted on her, giving her a large ration, before the others could have theirs, he didn't even blink an eye when she ultimately shared it with one of the others, usually Kili.

They were in camp for the evening, gathered around the fire waiting for Bombur to work his magic and create a stew with some of the stag that Kili and Rylee brought back. Fili and Kili sat together chatting as usual, while Rylee was sitting between Gandalf and Thorin. Rylee was writing in a thick black journal, it was not the same one that she shared with Kili on her first night, this one seemed much thicker and much darker. What ever happened between them, Thorin was thankful that she was at least not being petty, and sitting away from him. He hoped that her activities for the day paid off, that a day using fire magic would bring an end to the strange spell that tormented her sleep.

"They called Glaurung the Father of Dragons, and yet Ancalagon was bigger." Nori was saying to Gloin, "and I heard that the Urulókë of Gondolin carried Balrogs on its back into battle. Where do you think Smaug fits in with them, do you think he would be bigger than the Urulókë? He must be smaller than Ancalagon, that beast nearly took out all of Beleriand!"

"I don't know, Nori, perhaps you should ask our expert." Gloin said looking over at Rylee, who was pointedly trying to ignore the conversation completely. She was working in her journal, sketching and writing out who knew what. "What do you think, Rylee? By your estimation would Smaug be bigger or smaller than the Urulokë?"

"Larger," Rylee said as she flipped through the pages of her journal.

"Come now, Rylee," Dori admonished her softly, after waiting for her to continue, and she did not, "You need to give us more than that."

"No, I don't," Rylee said with a sigh as she closed her book and rubbed her temples.

"Hey, Kili, you didn't tell us what happened to Esgaud's body." Nori pressed looking at Kili.

Kili shrugged and looked at Rylee, seeing no help coming from her, he responded. "When I came back from hunting, the dragon was naught but ash."

"How is that possible?" Ori seized upon the topic with zeal. "A dragon cannot just burn itself."

"Well of course not," Rylee snapped as she pulled her pack onto her lap and put away her journal, "Kili may not have known to burn the body, but Mahal did."

"So now you are saying that Mahal came here to dispose of a dragon?" Nori said incredulously. They were all looking at Rylee expecting more information.

"That is exactly what I am saying, Nori," Rylee growled, her anger rising higher and higher. She wanted to get off the topic of dragons, she was sick of it. "Whenever I kill a dragon alone, Mahal comes and takes the scales, skin, claws and teeth. Anything of value that I might need later on, he salvages and saves for me. Sometimes I am awake, sometimes I am not. When I am awake we dispose of the beast together. The results are the same, all that would be left of the dragon is a pile of ash."

"You knew he came?" Kili asked quietly in frustration. For days he wanted to at least tell Fili, and it drove him nearly mad, trying to keep it a secret.

"I was not certain until you said that Esgaud was ashes when you returned from hunting," Rylee said with a sad smile, "It does not surprise me though. I just wish I could have seen him. I take it that he told you not to tell me?"

"Aye, he said it would just hurt you," Kili said apologetically. He didn't want her to think he kept it secret out of malice. He just wanted to keep his promise.

Rylee just nodded, her heart was a little hurt. She missed Mahal, and it was so rare that she actually got to see him. Of the Fourty one dragons, he disposed of seven, and of the seven, she was awake for only four of them. She refused to count Scatha, until she knew more of what happened, she would not count him as one of her kills. She turned her attention back to her pack and checked her gear. A thought hit her and she pulled out her grey tunic, looking both front and back, she checked to see if there were any marks from her last death. The leather was flawless, as was the leather on her black tunic, her jacket and all of her under clothes. There was absolutely no evidence that she was ever stabbed through the heart. So what did it all mean?

"You met Mahal?" Fili said in surprise. He looked at his brother feeling a little hurt, "you met Mahal and you didn't tell me?"

"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," Kili shrugged looking at his brother almost sheepishly. He looked at the pained look in Rylee's eyes, she was trying to hide her emotions again, but her eyes were so sad. Looking over at Fili he whispered, "I will tell you about it later, I don't think now is a great time."

"I just can't believe you were able to keep a secret from me for so long." Fili said with a small smirk. He did understand though, the darkness that entered Rylee's eyes told him that she was much more hurt than she let on.

"Why would he collect the claws and teeth of a dragon? What possible use could they be to you?" Ori asked, continuing on with the interrogation of all things dragon. He wanted to know about Mahal too, but it didn't look like Kili was sharing anything more, and the dragons were fascinating.

Rylee sat back in frustration, a low growl in her throat as she tried to rein in her temper. For days the questions flew, today was like any other. Some of them were even repeated a half a dozen times and debated for hours before the subject was finally dropped. Even leaving for the day did nothing to calm her annoyance at the continued barrage of questions about the battle and about dragons in general.

"Don't Rylee," Thorin warned her quietly, his hand settled on her shoulder. He could see the mask starting to crack.

"I can understand the Scales but really the teeth and the claws?" Ori continued, not hearing or seeing the effects of his questions, "and what would one do with dragon leather? It's not like you can penetrate it with a needle, making anything out of it would be near impossible."

"Aye, dragon scale is rare and precious. It can be ground up and used in a paste for sanding and grinding. It can also be used to make belts, jewelry, even armor," Rylee said between gritted teeth, "But I have made blades, handles, hafts, arrowheads and combs out of the teeth and claws. As for the leather, it may be so tough that a normal iron blade will not pierce it, but a black arrow or Blood Mithril can with ease. Mahal uses the hide to make my clothes."

"So she wears dragon hide, and wears a mithril corselet." Fili mused quietly, more to himself and Kili than to Rylee, but she heard him just the same, "It is brilliant really, a couple of extra layers of armor, and it doesn't weigh as much as metal."

"You make weapons out of their teeth and claws," Nori asked lost in his own thoughts, "Do you think there might be a market in dragon forge -."

"Enough! Enough about these double damned drakes! I don't want to hear it anymore! Do not speak to me of Esgaud, Scatha, or any other of the foul beasts! I will not hear mention of them again!" Rylee roared turning on Nori and the others sitting around the fire. They all jumped in surprise, her voice was full of power and the hair on their arms began to rise. Bit by bit, word by word, she was coming unhinged. The carefully placed mask was beginning to crumble. "I have seen great Men, Elves, and Dwarves brought low by the wrath of those monsters! Thousands upon thousands of warriors littering the battlefields, there at my command to attempt to kill the fiends! There is no glory in fighting dragons! Only doom and death, and I am done with it!"

"But you are Rúnyatári, Queen Emitheral, War Maiden of the Valar," Ori said softly, his voice was little more than a fearful whisper, "You were made to kill dragons."

"More men have been killed in my name, than there have ever been dragons, Ori," Rylee said softly as her voice cracked, "I am no queen, I am a monster. As dark as any dragon."

"You cannot think that!" Bilbo looked up at her absolutely horrified, "You are a great hero, and some of your titles are remembered even in Hobbiton. There is even a day dedicated to the Lady of Grace!"

"Bilbo is right, Rylee!" Ori added on shaking his head adamantly, "The libraries of Ered Luin are filled with tales of your battles. Your titles are still remembered today; Rúnyatári the "Queen of Red Flame", Queen Emitheral, the Champion of the People and the Lady of Grace. Most people think that the tales are of different war maidens, no one ever thought that all of those titles might belong to one Dwarrowdam."

"You mean Queen of Risking All and Gaining Nothing, The Champion of Death, and the Lady of Graceless Acts!" Rylee whispered harshly, and glared at the ground through tear filled eyes, the power in her voice caused the entire company to shiver. "I do not give a flying fig about some pretentious, self-righteous, hunk of metal pinned to my head. I was supposed to sacrifice my life for theirs, not the other way around!"

"Rylee, what is the meaning of this," Gloin chided her softly, looking at her in concern, "You were perfectly fine just moments ago."

"No! I was not!" Rylee screamed at the top of her lungs, tears began streaming down her face as she completely lost control, "I have not been fine for years! I am fed up with Morgoth and his vile demon drakes! I am fed up with Sauron and Ungoliant! I am done with all of it!"

Rylee jumped to her feet and rushed away, her blooded axes flashing in their holsters in the late afternoon sun. All thirteen Dwarves, a hobbit and a Wizard stared after her in complete shock. Every one of them rose to follow her into the nearby field. She pulled her axes and laid into a mangled dead tree that stood alone, its barren grey bark-less limbs shaking under the impact of each stroke of her axes. She screamed a war cry as she attacked it, driving the Blood Mithril blades into the dried wood, hacking and chipping away massive chunks and slivers of tinder. Chips and shavings flew away and within seconds the tree was fallen and all that laid before her was a short uneven stump.

"That is not possible," Dwalin whispered in both shock and awe, "I tried cutting that very tree down on our arrival, for fire wood. The wood is petrified. Solid as stone."

"Then I would not suggest you get on Rylee's bad side in a blood rage," Thorin advised quietly, looking over at his friend, "Especially when wielding those axes."

All eyes fell on them for a long moment while Thorin focused on Rylee. She released a guttural cry and dropped her axes onto the ground, becoming perfectly still for a long moment. A low keening moan left her and she began to shake. 'Nienna's grace!' Thorin thought, 'She is too compassionate to hold that much grief within herself.' The last time he saw her break like this was after Eru told the Valar to keep their distance. After she finally told Thorin what happened to her, when she ran away at twenty-three, and nearly got herself killed. Nearly fifty years passed since then, fifty years of constant training and teaching and no small amount of defiance from Rylee. She was so impetuous and headstrong that, when she turned sixty-five, she demanded to be allowed to begin her quests, even though most of the Valar were against letting her go. Once again Eru had to step in and make the final decision. Considering how much happened to her since arriving in Middle-Earth, Thorin was surprised that she kept it together for so long.

Heart wrenching sobs wracked her small frame, Rylee dropped to her knees and drove her fists into the ground, as she did, she screamed. It was filled with rage, and pain, and heartbreak, it was raw and feral in its intensity. Kili was certain that he saw the ground displace under the impact of her fists as she curled in on herself. Kili's throat closed around the lump that suddenly filled it, seeing her in such pain was like taking a punch in the gut. He wanted nothing more than to take her pain from her, soothe her. It physically hurt him to see her like this. He moved to go after her, but Thorin's heavy hand on his shoulder stopped him. He met his uncle's eyes and he saw something there, it was like an answering sadness to Rylee's pain. Thorin's voice was low when he whispered, "I will go, Kili."

Thorin went after her, and the company watched intently from the edge of the camp. They could not believe their eyes or ears. The usually fierce, hardened War Maiden, with the cold facade was in the middle of the field breaking down. The entire company hovered, watching in different degrees of shock as the lass gave in to her emotions. It set the entire company on edge, as they watched her inner torment fester to the surface. The cold steely mask fell away and the tears fell even faster, revealing a broken girl. She was inconsolable, her heartbreak was palpable, and it was horrible to watch someone who seemed so strong become so fragile.

Ori looked at her, feeling stunned, and then he looked back at the others and asked, "Did I say something wrong?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Kili muttered under his breath to Fili who stood beside him. He was so angry at everyone for pushing her to this point. He wanted to blame them all, "She asked us on day one to forgo the titles."

"More like commanded," Fili agreed just as quietly, it was not like she gave them a choice. "And the constant talk of dragons didn't help. Since facing Esgaud she has been avoiding the topic and has become even more withdrawn."

"It is nothing you said or did, Ori. Rylee is just overwhelmed at the moment," Gandalf sent a worried look after her. Hunted by beasts, dragons and Sauron, dealing with the deaths of her soldiers and her friends, and trying to unravel the mystery of both her past and her present quests, she was more than inundated with trouble. A lesser person would have given up already.

Ori turned to Dori and whispered, "I feel awful! I keep pushing for her stories, and I forget that she just came from battle. And the dragons, oh Mahal! I have wronged her! This is my fault! It is all my fault!"

"It is no more your fault than mine, Ori," Bilbo said softly, though he too felt guilty for saying anything that might have upset the girl. "We are all curious about her. She has led the most unusual life."

"You can talk to her later, Ori," Dori returned quietly, then looked at the company hovering at the edge of camp, "Perhaps it would be best if we give the poor girl some time. She and Thorin should have some privacy to work this out."

"I think it is time to tell the others what has been happening these last few nights, brother." Balin said to Dwalin, who nodded in agreement. Dwalin herded the rest of the company back to camp to tell them of the odd sleep pattern that Rylee was caught in since killing the dragon. Balin put his arms around both Fili and Kili, pulling them along so that Thorin could talk to Rylee alone.

Curled up in the field, balanced on her knees, she howled in her pain. For years she was able to hold it all in, now without the forthright friendship of Jovina, and straightforward advice of Kaia, she couldn't do it anymore. She was drowning in regret and torment, it was too much for her to bear alone, and the two people she relied on most were long gone. Her two blood-bound friends vanished into nothingness in the middle of dragon battles, with only Rylee as a witness. She was out of her mind with the grief. She lost so much to those dragons. She lost soldiers, comrades, and friends. Her tears fell in streams, and her breaths felt ragged in her throat, her stomach clenched in pain as her body released wave after wave of sorrow.

It was instinctive, Rylee could hear him and feel him approach her, Thorin was only a few feet away from her when she told him, "Leave me alone."

He dropped to his knees before her put his hands on her upper arms and rubbed them gently, "Do not do this Rylee, do not blame yourself. You did what you had to in order to prevail. You fought alongside those men. They loved you and would follow you anywhere. These are the scars of being a leader."

"When do the screams fade? When do you stop hearing them plead for their lives?" Rylee whispered closing her eyes tightly. Tears slipped silently through her lashes. Her fists clenched in pain, "When does the weight of the responsibility lighten? I led men to their deaths, fighting dragons, dragons that I was too weak to fight alone. Now I am supposed to Change the Hands of Fate for this Company? How?"

"Rylee, you are not alone in this life. Take a leap of faith and let us help you. Let me help you," Thorin could not stand it anymore, he pulled her into his arms. She stiffened instantly at the contact, but he wrapped his arms around her and waited. It took a less than a minute before she gave in and sobbed softly into his neck. He sat there and held her against him and let her grieve. It was a few minutes before he realized that he had not held her as such since she was twenty-three. The last time he saw her so broken, and defeated. "Stop fighting it Rylee, just let it out."

"They died for me, and I could do nothing to save them!" Rylee sobbed in frustration. Her mind reeling as she tried, unsuccessfully, to hold her overwhelming emotions in check. It was becoming harder and harder to hold everything in. Tears fell freely down her face, and she had no way to stop them. "Every time I came back I learned that my friends were fallen. I helped kill the dragons, and my friends died anyways. And now I find I had another life and death that I don't even remember. A dragon that I have only seen flashes of. I can't shake the horrible feeling that I failed. I once thought that I succeeded in all my quests, now I am not so sure. If Esgaud was at the battle of Scatha, they should have both died. If I succeeded, your kin would have lived."

Thorin knew she was talking about Dain I and Fror, and he wondered for a moment if this could be true. The Cold Drake did kill his great grandfather and granduncle, but the mountains were plagued by drakes for years. There were plans to move their people to the Lonely Mountain long before the dragons forced their hand. If they were still in the Grey Mountains would Smaug still have come? Would Thror still want to take back Moria? Would he still be alive? Would Frerin?

Thorin remembered receiving the news of his grandfather's death at Moria, killed by Azog, and Nar's tale regarding the defiling of Thror's body. Thrain leading them to war against the Orcs, before going missing from among the mass of dead upon the battlefield, vanished in the midst of war. The memory of his younger brother haunted him, his death in the battle of Azunulbizar tore Thorin apart from the inside. He recalled the loss of all those men, many of whom were as close to him as brothers, many of them cousins, all of them kindred that died on the battlefield at the gates of Moria. Warriors like Fundin, and Nain. Hundreds of soldiers died to avenge his grandfather and later rose to fight again with Thorin as their leader. Sevrin and Dis mourned with him and helped him through those darkest days, helping him to find some semblance of peace. Though they could not help him forget the horrors, they did help him to cope with the overwhelming loss and guilt.

He remembered grieving together with his sister Dis and Fili and Kili when Sevrin was killed by Orcs while returning from a meeting of Emissaries in the Iron Hills. He and Dis kept each other sane by offering comfort and solace. Kili was ten, and Fili fifteen at the time. He knew grief, the fact that someone as young as Rylee knew it as well as he did, if not better, it bothered him immensely. She needed him, and he vowed that he would be here for her. He would help her through this.

"Stop, Rylee, stop blaming yourself. You don't know that you failed, you don't know what happened. Even if Esgaud was meant to die with Scatha, you cannot blame yourself. You do not know what went wrong. Whatever it was, it would have had to be tremendous to keep you from completing a quest." Thorin told her softly as he rubbed her back soothingly.

"But they died! Why did they all have to die?" Rylee choked out between broken sobs and catches of breath. This was not a simple release of grief. Thorin watched her carefully, her deepest sorrows were bared. Her grief was raw, and her heavy sobs wracked her body. Whatever happened to her in the past, it broke her and she was in need of comfort. She watched friends die, and then she died too, leaving no time for her to mourn their deaths before she arrived here. He could only imagine the confusion she was feeling with this pair of dragons that she was suddenly confronted with. His own overbearing opinions didn't help the matter any either. Thorin felt guilty for adding to her sorrows and her troubles. She was in pain, raw, heartbreaking pain.

"You don't know if they are all gone, you may still have friends in this world, Rylee," Thorin soothed her. He rubbed her back as he held her against him. "You will find them. If they yet live you will find them."

When her sobs eased and she pulled away, Rylee looked up at Thorin, her eyes red from crying, her face streaked with tears. She reached up and straightened his collar, "I am sorry Ugshar, sometimes it becomes too much to hold in."

"I offered you my shoulder Rylee. It is yours whenever you need it," He told her as he took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Be careful where you place your offers, I am likely to take you up on them," she gave him a half hearted smile and his hand a light squeeze in return. The sorrow was still there, but the last time she gave in to grief was when they were in the Shire. Even then it was nowhere near as intense. There was no time since then for her to deal with everything that was happening around her.

"Take a moment Lukhdel, when you are ready, join us." Thorin lightly bumped his head against hers in a sign of affection. He wiped away a tear that lingered on her eyelash, stood and walked away.

Ori passed Thorin as he came back into camp. The rest of the company was back around the fire trying to pretend that they were not eavesdropping. Thorin resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the lot of them. Only Fili and Kili stood at the edge of camp being blatantly obvious as to what they were up to. Obviously Balin was not successful at keeping them in camp. On the positive side, the company was discussing plans on how to watch over Rylee, while her dreams kept her locked in their thrall.

"Fili, Kili, let them talk in private," Thorin ordered the pair. Both turned and came back to the fire, but Kili was reluctant and kept shooting angry glares in the direction Ori went, "If you are that concerned Kili, you can talk to her when you are on watch together later."

Rylee was sitting against the stump of the tree, amongst the rubble of the damage she wrought. Her axes were in her lap and she was cleaning them, checking for any damage she might have caused them during her fit. She just needed some time to pull herself together. She needed to get her thoughts in order and find a way to cope with the pain of the loss that she felt. She needed to get over the mortification of having an all out emotional breakdown in the midst of a dragon quest. How humiliating.

"I am here to apologize, Rylee, it was never my intention to bring you pain," Ori said quietly. She always seemed so cold and distant, so Ori was surprised by the depth of her hurt and sorrow.

"It's not your fault Ori, I just have not had time to deal with the – well everything, I was dead, and then I was here. With all of the hunting I have been doing I just have not had time to even think about how to bear it. Battling Esgaud just tilted the scale in the wrong direction. The dragons are only the beginning and they are always my end." Rylee said, her voice sounded raw, and her face was streaked with tears, yet somehow she looked regal. Ori could tell she was rambling, but he figured that she needed to let out her thoughts, so he waited her out. "I never wanted to be a Queen, you know? Those acts you call great deeds are my worst nightmares. I watched men, elves, and dwarves mown down by Orcs, Wargs, Balrogs and Trolls. So many vile creatures made by Morgoth and Sauron for the sake of destruction. I have seen seasoned warriors torn apart by drakes of every size and color. Those men died in battles that I led. I carry the guilt of those deaths."

"I mean no disrespect by what I am about to say, please just hear me out?" Ori said softly, quietly watching her. She was very much a Queen. With the stoic mask Rylee was intimidating, terrifying, as much as Thorin could be. Without the mask she was even more daunting, her entire persona seemed amplified. "I have read accounts of your deeds, mostly Dwarven accounts, but some from men and Elves when they are written in Westron. I would wager a goodly portion of the dragon tales of yore are of you as well. You are right that the crown does not make you a Queen, but your valor and honor in battle did. It was the people you led that truly made you a Queen. You may not have wanted the titles, but they were given to you by those who stood beside you and died for you, as well as those that survived due to your sacrifices and leadership."

"What are you saying Ori?" Rylee said, a deep weariness fell over her. She just wanted a moment of rest, a moment of peace.

"Whether you like the title or not, you are Rúnyatári, when you put yourself down, you disparage the sacrifice of the people who died in your name and that is wrong." Ori said gently, moving closer to her. He offered his hand to help her to her feet and looked her in the eye. "Please forgive me?"

She looked at his hand and then up at his face, innocent and honest, Ori was the quiet, shy, ever curious one in the group. She thought about what he said. He really did make sense. The men that died fighting in her name, in the name of the queen they followed, deserved to be honored, most of all by her. If those were the names they gave her then she should wear them with honor and with courage and with grief. As well as any other names that she found were bestowed on her in the past, she would wear them all with nobility.

"I told you, Ori, you did nothing wrong," Rylee said softly, taking his hand and allowing him to help her to her feet. She cleared her throat and met his eye. "You actually make a lot of sense, and what you said might help me deal with some of this."

She turned and motioned for him to join her as she made her way back to camp. Ori nearly sighed in relief. He was worried that he did irreparable damage to a friendship that was barely begun.

Rylee didn't say anything for a moment as they walked back into camp. An idea popped into her mind and she wondered if it would be a good idea to ask it of him. Before she could ask, her toe caught a stone embedded in the dirt and she toppled forward. With her mind always prepared for battle, she rolled forward and jumped up stealthily, brushed herself off and kept walking as though she didn't fall at all. Ori started to chuckle.

She turned to him eyes wide, her heart thundering a mile a minute. She looked up from brushing off her breaches and asked, "What's so funny?"

"You!" Ori grinned at her, "I mean you were walking, then you tumbled and boing! You were up like a frog on a lily pad."

He mimicked her actions and Rylee chuckled, "Frog, huh?"

"A frog, like Bob," Ori grinned and nodded.

"Speaking of Bob, you should have seen me sailing through the air after Mikhaul tossed me. I was as elegant as an Oliphant in a tea house." Rylee said in all seriousness. Then she whistled, and motioned with her hands, depicting the arc of her trajectory, before mimicking a splashing sound. Her eyes sparked in her otherwise straight face and made Ori chuckle at her expense. She had not told them how it happened. They only saw the aftermath. "I came up spitting slough mud, if I were to imagine the taste of Orc shit, then that would be about it. It was awful! When I finally came out, there was goop everywhere and there were even a couple of fish and poor Bob up my sleeves."

She was acting out her actions as she talked and Ori was in fits, he had to stop to hold his sides. Rylee watched him in amusement and kept telling her tale, "So I went to pick up Bob, and he bounced hitting me square in the face and I fell back on my arse. Can you imagine? Rylee, War Maiden of The Valar, laid out by a frog! Then as I lay there, looking up at the sky, that cheeky Bob jumps on my face and 'Corocks' at me!"

"He likely told you that even someone as small as he, can take down a mighty warrior," Ori said through deep breaths as he calmed back down.

"He sounds like a Hobbit to me," Rylee said with a nod.

"Bob reminds you of Bilbo?" Ori asked her with an odd expression.

"No! Um, yes, but no?" Rylee frowned, the image of a black haired Hobbit slipped through her mind, but before she could grasp it, it was gone. She whimpered and looked at Ori desperately, "He reminds me-, he reminds me of someone that I don't remember."

Ori's look changed to one of concern, "You don't remember? Does this have to do with Scatha?"

"Aye, I think so, but I am not certain," She shook her head and the thoughts away. She looked at Ori and said, "I have a favor to ask of you."

"A favor? Of me?" Ori asked incredulously as they approached the outskirts of camp. "What could I possibly do for you?"

"How much of Arda's history do you know? It would be nice to know a little more about the past, since I missed so much of it. I was thinking it might help me cope with everything, if I knew what happened since I, -well since I last remember," Rylee looked at him hopefully, "If you could give me lessons in history, in return I would of course teach you the original runes of Khuzdul."

Kili watched them walk back into camp and was not at all happy to see them so close to each other. Watching and listening to their interactions made him envious. He was not used to feeling so possessive of another. The envy grew even more profound when he saw them chatting and laughing together. While her soft laughter eased the tension of the entire company, it only frustrated Kili, he wanted to be the one to make her smile and laugh. He wanted to be the one to bring her joy and to calm her and to soothe her when she needed him. When he heard her request he tensed for a long moment. Kili watched her face and saw it so full of hope and his heart hurt. Did she prefer Ori?

"You want me to work with you?" It was Ori's turn to be surprised. "I suppose I know quite a bit, I have been apprenticing in the libraries of Ered Luin for years, but what about your archery lessons?"

"I have time to do both, Ori, besides, it is vital to exercise both body and mind." Rylee told him quietly.

Kili wavered, and turned to take his seat beside Fili. It was hard enough getting her to commit to practicing with him as it was, how would it be with others taking up her time? He sighed, Rylee was her own person, and if she felt that she needed history lessons with Ori, then he would support that. As long as Rylee wasn't going to forgo lessons with him, he had no problem with her working with Ori. He just hoped that it was nothing more than friendship between them. Too many times he lost the affections of a Dwarrowdam the moment a Dwarf with a thicker, longer beard came by. He was hoping that Rylee was different.

"So I will teach you history and you will teach me Ancient Khuzdul?" Ori asked as he felt his excitement grow, he always wanted to learn the old runes. It was a lifelong goal to learn the language of the First Age, who better to teach him than a queen from that time period?

"Aye, but stop calling it ancient, it makes me feel old, and I am younger than you." Rylee told him. She grabbed her journal and her quill from her pack, which she left beside Thorin earlier.

She picked up the pack and put it near her bedroll, then turned back to the fire and noticed that Fili's and Kili's bedrolls were set up near hers. Every night the pair seemed to be maneuvering their bedrolls closer and closer to hers. At first she tried to shrug it off as nothing, but as each night passed, they kept moving closer to her and Mikhaul. She looked around camp and realized that she was in the most secluded corner, Fili's and Kili's bedrolls were closest to hers then three more bedrolls fanned out in an arch of a circle, Thorin, Balin and Dwalin. Bloody dwarves and their protective nature, they had created a barrier for her. The rest of the company had their belongings spread haphazardly in every direction.

"How long have they been doing this Mikhaul?" Rylee whispered to the great bearded mare, who was happily munching on grass.

"Since before Esgaud," Mikhaul said, when Rylee indicated the bedrolls carefully situated around hers. "You mean you have not noticed?"

Rylee shook her head and frowned in frustration. What was wrong with her that she had not even noticed such a thing happening around her? She was usually so much more observant. "I am more out of sorts than I thought."

"Out of sorts? Have you ever been In Sorts?" Mikhaul teased her, snorting with mirth. Rylee was used to being by herself in camp, for her to have others watching for her, it was new. "The real question is, are you going to give Kili your token, or not?"

"I – I don't know," Rylee whispered, the question caught her off guard. She wasn't certain.

"Either you court him or you don't Rylee," Mikhaul admonished her. Days before, Mikhaul confessed that Kili was asking her for courting advice, and that she was telling him about how the dwarves of the First Age tried to catch and keep Rylee's attention. "He has no access to a forge, so the next step is yours."

"I will, I will, - I don't know if I have the courage to ask him." Rylee's said below her breath. Her eyes flicked to the brothers, who sat at the fire talking to each other, and she wondered why Kili would want to know how to court her. Thorin alluded to the fact that he was a notorious flirt before they even left for their quest. She could see that side to him. Sometimes he flirted heavily with her, and the next he was off with Fili hunting, or goofing off with Bofur. He went from asking her for a kiss one day and the next he was showing off while sparring with Fili. He asked her to do things with him, showed interest in what she was doing, or tried to engage her in conversation. Or he would outright ignore her as though she did not exist, like he was doing now.

In the First Age the Dwarf would show his intent by showing the Dwarrowdam he could provide for her, hunting, fighting, creating. Flirting, kissing and even hair touching was acceptable if both parties enjoyed it. If the suit was not contested by their kin, then the Dwarf would present a token that held meaning for the pair. It would signify his strengths, his honor, his family and his wealth. It would show the Dwarrowdam that he could provide for her. In return she would ask to exchange courting braids. Upon occasion, if the situation warranted, it would be the Dwarrowdam who would create the token, and the Dwarf would ask for the exchange of braids. From there the couple would arrange the wedding together.

She didn't even know how to go about courting in this Age. All she knew was that the Dwarrowdam was supposed to make the first move. The whole idea of asking him, terrified her. She was almost relieved that Kili was following First Age customs, that he was chasing her like Durin and his friends did in the First Age, and showing her that he was interested. It gave her time to think about what she wanted. She knew that hers was the next move. She wondered if she should give him the token that she was making. Thorin himself said that Kili could break her heart, and that he would toy with her if she allowed it. What if he was just looking for someone to flirt with? Would he be so callous as to toy with her even knowing that she would fade? So did she give him the token when it was finished? Or not?

Mentally shaking away the thoughts, she returned to Ori's side, with journal in hand. She sat beside him at the fire. "How should we go about this? I can start by teaching you the old runes."

"Why don't I tell you one of our stories each night and you can write it in original Khuzdul, then I can try to cipher it?" Ori suggested to her as they sat together.

"I have a better idea, you can cipher my journal, and I will help you as you need it." Rylee smiled softly at the scribe as she offered him her journal. It was a different journal than the one she showed Kili, this one was bound in black leather and had strange glyphs engraved into the cover. He gave her a shy smile in return and handed her his journal, "and while we are on the road you can tell me the History of Middle-Earth as you know it."

"You will still make time for your archery lessons will you not?" Ori asked her sheepishly, looking up and meeting Kili's glare.

"Of course, I will never get the arrow closer to the target if I don't practice. If you teach me history while on the road, then it won't cut into my evenings at all, and you can concentrate on ciphering the runes when your other chores are completed, you can ask me questions if you need assistance." Rylee smiled softly, she loved spending time with Kili, as much as she hated it. Spending time with Kili was sweet torment and a silent guilty pleasure, one that she was barely able to admit to herself. She opened Ori's journal and found pictures of their entire company drawn within, including her and Mikhaul, along with detailed daily accounts of their journey.

Ori looked over her shoulder as she flipped through the pages, skimming the stories, he reached over and slyly flipped to a page in the middle with her and Kili and Fili. Rylee started to laugh, it was from the night that they talked of sword play, Rylee was giving Kili a sly grin, and Fili was pounding Kili on the back. After spending weeks on the road together, it still struck her how much Fili resembled Durin, even in his most simple actions. While Kili was, well Kili, even when choking at her play on words, he was handsome beyond anyone she ever met. She looked up at him through her eyelashes, and met his gaze, hooded and hungry, like a hawk after a rabbit. That look made her feel warm and fuzzy inside, her heart began to race. She looked back down at the page, pretending not to be effected.

She read the quick entry of events that went with the picture and found them both amusing and accurate, some day others would read the scribe's work and it would be turned into legend, "Very nice work Ori. I like the fact that your version of events is quite accurate. You are an exceptional scribe."

There was another of Rylee as a Bog Beast, and she nearly choked at seeing herself from someone else's eyes. She chuckled lowly, "Oh! Wow, I had no idea how terribly monstrous I looked! No wonder Fili and Kili nearly lost their eyeballs! You even drew Bob!"

"You really seemed to like that frog," Ori smirked looking up from her journal.

"Bob was a great frog!" Rylee nodded enthusiastically as her mirth faded, "alas, there is no room for a small fat frog like Bob on a quest like ours, even if he could best me in a battle. I hope Yavanna watches over him, and he is okay in his new home."

Ori turned the page to a slightly longer version of the story of the Last Alliance, or as she would call it a battle against Sauron. Rylee started to read. Ori was curious as she read through his journal, so he opened hers and found nothing but blank pages. He looked up at her in confusion and she met his eyes, and gave him a sheepish grin before she flipped to the middle of the journal where all of her notes on her quests were hidden. She noticed how Ori's eyes widened in surprise. There were pictures of each dragon, their estimated dimensions, and notes on how each of them was killed in minute detail. Not that he would know that yet. "Your hand is very fine, Rylee, it looks as though I may need to start from scratch, very little is familiar."

Rylee pulled a paper free from the back of her journal and set the two books across her knees. "You cannot share this information until you have properly translated the runes. I want no more false tales about these monsters."

"I understand," Ori said softly, he realized that she was giving him a gift of knowledge beyond anything that he could ever have imagined. "You are doing this more for me than you, aren't you? Dwarves are not known for their history record keeping."

"I am aware that Dwarves are a solitary people, and your view of the world will reflect that, but Dwarvish history is just as important to me as the history of the rest of Middle-Earth." Rylee conceded, with a small smile. She changed the subject and started to draw out a table and wrote several runes across the top of the page. "Here, you can use Glaurung as a key in order to make a cipher table. Much has changed over the Ages. For example, you have it written here like this, where as I would write it as so."

"I would not have thought such a familiar name would have changed that much over time," Ori said as he looked at the difference in the rune formations. He had so many questions. Were all of her dragons in the book? She had over fourty beads now, and from the looks of it there were even more pages than that filled up in the book.

"Technically I don't think it has, I think it is more the fact that it has been slanged over the years. Some runes have been simplified and others expanded." Rylee said as she showed him a few more examples of her meaning. The two put their heads together and discussed the change in language until the light faded.

Kili didn't take his eyes off of Ori as he and Rylee discussed the difference in runes over the Ages. Lucky for the scribe he kept his hands on the papers and on the pencils, and his attention on the Runes that they were discussing. After having held her as they rode on the back from the dragon hunt Kili was even more possessive of her, especially after she told him her confessions. The idea of someone else holding her like he did made him burn up inside, he wanted her for himself.

Kili watched them carefully and turned to Fili, "You don't think she likes him do you?"

"Of course she likes him," Fili said with a small grin, trying purposely to get a rise out of his brother. Kili stiffened beside him, becoming defensive. Finally he chuckled and finished his thought, "She likes everyone in the company. Especially Bombur, but that's because he feeds her."

"Not funny Fili, it's just hard enough to spend time with her as it is." Kili sighed glumly, watching Rylee point something out to Ori in her journal. "Now she is to have even more distractions. It just seems every time we make a connection she retreats, she is more skittish than a spring colt."

"How so?" Fili inquired quietly.

"Well, I told you everything that's happened, except what she said on the way back from the dragon. She was exhausted and confessed that she feels passionately about me," Kili said with a small grin as he remembered holding her against him. "She told me that I make her feel warm. And that I am distracting."

Fili shook his head in mock annoyance, and glared at his younger brother, "She confessed these things to you and you worry she likes Ori? Kili you are daft!"

"How am I supposed to feel? She has been avoiding me ever since. And then there are these dreams of hers, and she has been in a foul mood ever since we killed that dragon. I just don't like how suddenly they are close friends. All he told her was that she should honor the fallen by not mocking herself." Kili replied glumly. Ori was smart, sweet tempered, he grew out his beard and didn't sheer it off. He made her laugh earlier. Kili wanted to be the one to put a smile on her face. He wanted to be the one to bring her to laughter. He didn't want to share her with anyone.

"This is a sharing of intellect and nothing more," Gandalf said with a knowing smile from behind them. Kili was startled out of his thoughts. "She was well sought in her third life. I have seen her put greater men and dwarves in their place more times than I have fingers, toes, and appendages, and often not very gently either. She can swear like a wayfarer in every language. You savagely insulted her, Kili, and she was actually quite kind and congenial in her response to you."

"Oh, I can just imagine," Fili said with a grin, "considering what she said about Uncle the other night."

Thorin shot Fili a halfhearted glare for bringing up her insult to him and then looked sharply at the wizard. "I wonder where she learned such foul language."

"Don't look at me, I discovered that trait when I met her for her second life," Gandalf smirked.

Bombur called them to supper and just like every night Rylee ate her fill then sighed, placed her spoon into her bowl and looked at it, and as usual it was taken from her hands. This time it was Fili who took the bowl, and then Kili stole it from Fili and downed the last half of the bowl. Their tussle over her leftovers made the rest of the company laugh and Rylee just shook her head with a wry grin, she made her tea and once it was gone she bid everyone good night. Too much emotional upheaval over the course of the evening had her completely exhausted.

Kili watched from beside his brother as she bade the company a good sleep, and went to her place beside Mikhaul. He caught her gaze twice, enjoying the upward curve of her lips each time he winked at her before she closed her eyes and went to sleep. It was not much longer before he climbed into his bedroll beside hers and watched her sleep. She once said that she never found her One in her past lives. She didn't say anything about this life, but then, why would she declare such a thing in midst of the entire company? A declaration of love that profound was usually done in private. He closed his eyes dreaming of her confessions to him, and claiming his Mithril Queen.

Fili woke him later that night and Bofur stood by Rylee watching over her. Fili and Kili both joined him watching Rylee laying flat on her back, arms at her sides. Once again she was stuck inside her mind and unable to escape the monsters that held her there. She whimpered, louder than the last few nights, and her hand twitched, slowly closing into a fist.

"She is fighting against the hold of whatever has her in its grasp." Bofur said quietly, as Rylee's foot twitched as though she was trying to kick or run.

"At least she is fighting," Kili whispered softly as he moved to wake her up, "She is better than she was last night."

Bofur and Fili moved off to their bedrolls for a few more hours of sleep and Kili touched Rylee's shoulder. Her eyes popped open, and there was the smallest spark of light in her stormy grey eyes. "Was it as bad?"

"Nay, you were still trapped, but we could see you fighting it," Kili said softly. He held out his hand for her, "Come, it's time for our watch. I already sent Fili and Bofur to bed."

Rylee took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. She rolled up her bedroll and packed it away, there was no need for it for the remainder of the night, so there was no point leaving it out to tempt her. She grabbed her weapons and joined Kili at their look out spot. They sat back to back for the most part, not talking, upon occasion one of them would leave to scout the area to ensure there was nothing sneaking up on them from the shadows.

It was mid watch before Kili garnered the courage to ask, "Are you really okay, Rylee? These dreams, they are tearing you apart from the inside out."

"It's one dream Kili, the same dream over and over again. There are parts that I think might be memory, others that are obviously irrational fear, parts that I am sure are part of my quest, and then there is Him." Rylee said, she leaned back, and found Kili behind her. She turned and looked up to find him sitting in a half twist so he looked down at her.

"Him? Who is Him?" Kili said quietly, he was afraid that he would push her even further away, but he genuinely wanted to know.

"Sauron," Rylee whispered, he could feel her shiver behind him as she said the name. "Is it possible that he can see me in my dreams?"

"I don't know Rylee. I just know that when you told me that you would never fall as he did, I believed you. I still believe you." Kili promised her, he still wished he could take back what he said to her. "So what happened earlier? You were holding it together and then you were not."

"Hearing everyone's questions, talking about the dragon and with my own questions spinning inside my mind, it all feels wrong," Rylee whispered back, she was purposely trying to keep her voice from traveling over the camp. "Ever since my argument with Thorin, things are not good in my head. I have not encountered a single beast or creature of darkness since killing Esgaud. And this whole business with Esgaud and Scatha, I just don't know how to handle any of it. It's like I have lost a part of myself somewhere and I know not where to find it. I feel broken."

"And when it gets too much? When you can no longer contain the pain behind your mask, what happens then Rylee?" Kili whispered, he lifted his hand to her face and touched her chin gently, "I offer you my shoulder if you want it."

"Thank you, Kili, I am okay for now, but -," Rylee met his eyes and fell into the deep dark depths for a breathless moment. She swallowed her fear and promised, "But I will come to you next time I need a shoulder."

His fingertips grazed gently over the silky skin of her chin and throat, her eyes fluttered closed for a moment and a soft sigh rose from her throat. He kissed her, before she could move away, just a simple brush of his lips over hers. She didn't pull away, so he kissed her again, just as gently, slowly. He pulled away and slowly traced her jaw-line from ear to chin, she whispered under her breath, "I should not let you do this, Kili."

"Why do you hide your emotions?" He could not help the question, it just popped out. Rylee sighed and pulled away, she turned back to look out over the camp and he regretted the words the moment he said them out loud.

Rylee gave him every possible mixed signal fathomable. She shot down Fili's advance within moments of meeting him and gave all of her attention to Kili. Then she allowed him to hold her in his arms, several times. When he pushed her away, she put on all the brakes, and built walls against him. She let him kiss her after their first lesson with the bow, and then she avoided him for days on end. After the dragon, she admitted that he affected her, like she did him. Since then she pulled away again and the walls rose higher and higher, she kept her distance and avoided him. He saw the pattern forming and knew that after tonight, the closeness they shared, she was going to pull away again, even if it was only two simple sweet kisses. She was the most skittish female he had ever met.

"Habit more than anything, in the courts of the First Age it was best if no one knew what I was thinking. I was lucky that Thorin taught me how to hide my thoughts," Rylee whispered after a long moment, "Being a leader is a huge responsibility, making decisions that will determine the lives of those around you, it is not an easy task. Removing the mask is much harder than putting it on, most days it is the only thing that holds me together. I have forgotten who I am."

"You do not have to hide anymore, Rylee, regardless of that crown," Kili said softly, as gently as he could, not wanting to spook her, "With us you can just be free, no expectations, no leadership responsibilities, it is just you on a quest with a company of dwarves. Really, if there is anyone who can help you find yourself, it is us. Set down the mask and let us help you to remember who you are."

"I don't know if I can, Kili," Rylee whispered, she sounded so completely defeated.

"You can, I know you can," Kili told her as he looked up at the stars, comparing them to Rylee's beautiful eyes. They were cold in comparison, her eyes were electric and sparkled with life, while the stars twinkled steadily in the dark night sky, "You are the most determined Dwarrowdam I know, if anyone can do it, it is you."

She rose and walked away, scouting through the darkness for any sign of threat, when she returned she set herself on the opposite side of camp, axes in hand alert for danger. He pulled out the dagger she gave him, admiring the blue tint to the metal and brushing his thumb over the name, 'hush'. Wondering for the millionth time, why would Mahal have Rylee give him such a gift. Was it only to help kill a dragon?


	13. Naughty or Nice

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

**Many thanks for the reviews Axle Beau, ****zZhell-butterflyZz, ****ro781727, and RagdollPrincess****. I do love reviews, so please let me know what you think. **

**So this chapter was supposed to be part of the previous one, but the chapter grew to such lengths (15,500 words) that I had to split it. Then I had to tweak it to make it happen on a different day. So I pulled out my timeline calendar and chose a day that would work nicely. Then it grew some more. After all the angst, I figured it was time for some levity.**

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**Love you all so much!**

Chapter 13

Naughty or Nice

May 20

"I still feel nothing out here, Mikhaul," Rylee said in confusion, as they rode away from the company to go find a place to burn and do another fire cleanse. Her nightmares were still the same, she was still fighting, but the dreams remained the same, looping over and over again, keeping her in their grip. So she went to burn each day, to try to find clarity and to cleanse her spirit. Every night she was told that it was easier and easier to wake her.

"I know, it has been oddly peaceful since you and Kili destroyed Esgaud." Mikhaul whispered into her mind. "It really does not make any sense."

"Regardless, we will keep our senses open. There is no point in being ambushed." Rylee sighed, they found a nice pool of fresh water in the middle of a dense forested area, they were well ahead of the Company, but still in the general direction of the Great East Road.

Rylee set up camp quickly, setting a fire pit, starting her fire, pulling out her metal working kit. The token was almost complete. She just had to set the scales within the metal and it would be done. She got to work, heating and working the metal and finally inlaying each one of the tiny pieces of scale that she painstakingly carved by hand. It took the majority of the afternoon for the work to be completed and she tempered the metal, allowing it to cool and harden. Finally complete, she set it aside and stood stretching her arms wide and arching her back. She undressed and dropped her clothes in a pile beside the river, so she could wash them later.

Mikhaul was watching her intently as Rylee stepped into the center of her fire. "Eru, creator of all, please hear my prayer. Help me to clean the darkness from my heart and soul, help me burn away the shadows in my heart. Help me find my path, please help me find my place in the world once again."

The flame crawled up and over her body, filling her, fueling her, caressing her. Soon she was nothing but the deep red flame that her title was named for. Rúnyatári was Quenya for Queen of Red Flame. The crown that graced her brow had it written in the runes. She wondered what her role would be in this new time, should she survive her quest. The possibility of surviving was so minimal, the odds were low. She already died three, possibly four, times. How was she to live fully if she didn't know if she would even survive?

She thought about that for a moment as the flames washed through her, there was no mortal who knew when their end might come. Not Man, not Dwarf, nor even Elf, knew when their end might come. Life was not a guarantee, of all people she knew this, so why was she allowing the darkness to fill even a portion of her heart and soul? Since when was she so jaded?

She began to sing, allowing the emotions that filled her to pour out. No thought, no reflection, just emoting every raw and powerful feeling. Allowing the release of tension to flow from her, reveling in the sensation of each as it flickered through her. Pain, hate, rage, betrayal, sorrow, regret, worry, fear, they tore her apart from the inside and she allowed the feral animal inside of her to immerse itself within the dark energy. The darkness built and built to the point where angry tears bit her cheeks as they fell from her eyes. She let the song build with the gloom and pull her into obscurity, threatening to pull her into the night forevermore.

She closed her eyes and let herself fade, but as she did one image filled her mind. Kili, as he watched her hungrily, kissing her, one hand pulling her hard against him, and the other gliding up to cup her breasts. Her song changed as she relished in the feel of him against her, the way she responded to his touch, the way the languid warmth filled her from fingers to toes. The now familiar heat of desire that filled her belly whenever he was near her, made her burn with an intensity that she would never reach by standing within a flame. She gasped as she imagined standing before him naked, his eyes lighting across her body, him pulling her into his arms. Smoldering embers burned deep inside of her as she flared with a new fire. Her song was ripe with passion and desire and need and love. Suddenly the song ended and she collapsed into the coals of the fire that was now spent.

"What was that?" Mikhaul asked as Rylee crawled weakly out of the fire pit.

"I don't know," Rylee whispered hoarsely, "I have never felt anything so intense."

"Your flame turned white," Mikhaul told her softly with a concerned snuffle, "just for a second, right at the end."

"That's never happened before, the emotions were so much different, I nearly gave into the darkness, and then -," She stopped and stood on shaky legs and realized that she was covered in soot and ash and thick drawn lines of the charcoal that she fell into. "Then I saw Kili and everything changed. The emotions were so pure, and well, needy. I have never felt so warm Mikhaul."

"He is your One, Rylee, stop fighting it," Mikhaul huffed low in her throat. It was a sound that meant Mikhaul was thinking deeply about something.

Rylee stumbled to the pool, the cold water waking her up just enough to keep her from passing out in the water. Once she finished bathing she climbed back out to dress in her clean clothes. She barely put on her outer tunic before she passed out on top of her towel, completely exhausted.

It was hours later when Mikhaul nudged her awake and they cleaned up the camp. Rylee's mind was filled with questions, why did the darkness try to consume her so fiercely? She nearly succumbed to the sway of the dark fire that burned inside of her, and right when she was on the cusp, it changed. Her only thought was that her One had the power to lift her out of the darkness she was in, and she was continually pushing him away. She bit her lip as she thought about this, picking up the completed token, she examined it for flaws and found none. It was complete. The one question she had been asking herself for days rose once again in her mind. Did she give it to him?

She sighed and packed it away, they needed to get back to the others. Once they were finally making their way back to the company, Rylee let her thoughts wander over the contents of her nightmare. From the fight against the twined dragons of silver and gold, did she fail a quest? Was she actually here earlier in the Third Age? Why did she not remember it? Why did she only see flashes of this gold dragon? Not even a full picture of the beast, just a flicker of golden scale and green underbelly. The silver beast she knew was Esgaud. She recognized him.

Sauron scared her, his seduction was so pure, so taunting. He was so powerful, and she felt so small against that power. The beasts stopped coming after her after Esgaud was destroyed. The beasts stopped right after she started having these vile dreams. Was it because he no longer needed the beasts to be his eyes and ears? Was it because Sauron could see her? A shiver ran down her spine as she thought about the power that Sauron would have over her if he could see into her mind.

She needed to ask Gandalf about this. "Mikhaul, I need to talk to Gandalf."

"We are just about there, Rylee, only a few more miles." The great black mare told her as she began to sprint full out, towards the company.

Mikhaul was true to her word. They broke out of the forest like a silent black shadow and came upon them from the rear. They didn't stop to say hello to anyone as they raced up to Gandalf on his sable mare, but their sudden approach nearly felled Ori, Bilbo and Oin from their saddles as they startled them. Rylee and Mikhaul ignored their cries of protest as they went by.

"Gandalf can Sauron see into a person's dreams?" Rylee asked him as they slowed to a walk beside him.

"Oh, you are back, Rylee," Gandalf said looking up at her with twinkling eyes. He did not seem surprised at all to see them. "No, I do not believe he has that power. Why do you ask?"

"I wonder if I should be worried that he can see me through these dreams, as I see him," Rylee kept her voice low, "If he can, then I worry about the Company, they are not safe with me."

"Rest assured Rylee, he cannot see you as you see him," Gandalf smirked at her and she quirked an eyebrow in response. "You see him as you last remember him. You told me that was your hunt when you were proven Battle Ready at thirty, if I am not mistaken."

"Uh, Aye, when I was permitted to hunt again, it was a hunt against Thuringwethil," Rylee nodded quietly. She did not tell him that she was proven battle ready long before her thirtieth winter. "While I killed Thuringwethil, Lúthien and Huan were able to infiltrate Angband using the vampire's form as a disguise. They were able to subdue Sauron. I saw him change from his fair face, to a werewolf, then to a vampire."

"Is that the face you see in your dreams?" Gandalf asked knowingly.

"The fair face? Yes, why?" Rylee nodded, looking at her long time guide and friend.

"He has not been able to take a Fair Face since the fall of Númenor." Gandalf informed her with a small smile. "That tells me that it must be a trick in your mind, like the fall of the Valar."

"That part of the dream, I know is fallacy," Rylee said with a small snort. "They are much too powerful to be taken down by either Morgoth or Sauron. I know that Beleriand fell. It was in my dreams long before I helped kill Ancalagon. It was the only path that would help the Valar to imprison Morgoth. Every other path led to the destruction of the world. The dragons and the loss of the company in the dream does not bother me so much either, they are part of this quest. I am to find what I am missing and I am to change their fates. It is plain to me that I am to prevent those deaths from happening. No, it is the call of the darkness that haunts me most."

"So regardless of what I told you, you still worry that he can see into your dreams?" Gandalf shook his head. She always was stubborn and set in her ways.

"I know it is irrational, Gandalf, and likely foolish to think so, but Aye, I still worry." Rylee sighed in frustration at herself and her own doubts. They fell into silence once again, but Rylee was troubled. Ever since the dragon, not one beast came near them, everything seemed quiet, too quiet. To keep her mind off of it, she changed the subject, "Tell me what happened since the fall of Beleriand. Ori knows the tales from a Dwarf perspective, and that is great, but he knows nothing of my friends from the First Age."

"What would you like to know, a great deal has happened since the end of the First Age." Gandalf said thoughtfully. "I am not even certain that I can tell you everything you would like to know."

Ori spent a small portion of the morning telling her some of the Dwarven history of the Second Age, which helped her deal with the feelings of loss and grief. Learning about the history of Arda, after the War of Wrath, was a balm to her soul. It helped to assure her that good things came from her actions, not just the destruction of Beleriand. Yes, she played a part in it, but so did every other Elf, Dwarf and Man that was present at the time. The Second Age and the battles within it were fascinating, but it was all from a Dwarf perspective and that meant that the fates of her friends were left in question.

"Who survived, who did not, who yet lives. I know nothing of this and I would like to know." Rylee sighed thinking of all the things that she didn't know. "You said that Sauron has not worn a Fair Face since the fall of Númenor, what or who is Númenor?"

"Númenor was an island to the west built for the Great Human Warriors, at the end of the First Age. Their first King was Elros, he and Elrond were given the choice to live as either men, or elves. Elrond chose to live his life as Elven Kind and Elros chose the path of Man Kind." Gandalf told her the brief version of the history, "Elros was around Five Hundred years old when he passed. His kingdom was passed down through his descendants. Unfortunately Sauron's taint corrupted the kingdom and it fell near the end of the Second Age. The few survivors faithful to the Valar fled to Middle-Earth after the fall, led by Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anárion. They founded the realms of Arnor and Gondor. Their successors are now the warriors called the Dúnedain. Many of their number serve Middle-Earth as Rangers, keeping the peace and rooting out evil in the world."

"Elendil is the one who helped Gil-galad destroy Sauron, and Isildur took the ring, yes?" Rylee asked as she tried to wrap her head around this information. It was a blessing and a curse that Elros lived and yet was gone from the world. While she was glad that he had the choice to live as man or Elf, she still would miss him. It sounded to her that her friend fathered a long line of great men and women, who still fought for the good in the world, he would be proud of that accomplishment.

"Yes, though I must tell you that Gil-galad died in that encounter, Sauron burned him, and he fell on the battlefield. Elendil, too, passed in that battle, they were lucky to destroy Sauron as they did." Gandalf told her, he quieted for a long moment then he said, "Isildur died some years later."

Rylee sat in sad recollection of her memories of the great warrior Gil-galad. He was a great king. She made him a lance, many years ago as a gift. It was very unfortunate that the world lost such a great and just King. He was younger than she was when he ascended to the throne, older than she when she returned for her third life. Her advisors tried to push her into marrying him, and both she and Gil-galad said no. They were friends, but nothing more.

"Aeglos," Rylee whispered to herself in remembrance. She sighed softly. He was a master with that weapon. None could stand before him. Even she sparred with him and found him to be her equal in battle, which was a rare occurrence. "Gil-galad wields a well-made spear, The Orc will fear my point of ice, When he sees me, in fear of death, He will know my name: Aeglos"

"How do you know what is written on his lance?" Gandalf asked in surprise.

"I made that lance for him, in Elorin's forge. Elorin spent hours trying to find some fault with it, so he could find reason to bar me from his forge." Rylee chuckled at the fond memory. "I also made two swords, several long Orc daggers, and some iron throwing knives. When I made the weapons I didn't even know who they were for, until I met them. The knives were for me, I still wear them."

"Which quest was that? I know it was not the third one, Elorin let you come and go as you pleased, if I do recall," Gandalf smiled thinking about the five years he spent with Rylee in the First Age.

"The first quest, I was in need of clarity and Elorin's forge was the best forge in the city of Gondolin. It was in that forge that I learned that I was to seek out Turgon and a young warrior named Gil-galad. Elorin was not happy when I took over his forge for a week, but he came around," Rylee smirked at Gandalf as her eyes lit, and then dimmed, "The second time I took over his forge, I learned that it was Turin I needed to find to go after the dragon. Elorin, is he -?"

"I have not seen Elorin since I arrived in Middle-Earth, if he lives, I have not come across him," Gandalf said quietly. Rylee sighed sadly and went quiet. Gandalf didn't want her to lose hope, "Your friends may yet live Rylee, just because I have not seen them, does not mean that they did not survive. You know that most half breeds are not well accepted in common society."

"This I know too well," Rylee hummed in agreement. No, Elorin and Elihara were shunned by both Elves and Dwarves. Few people of Middle-Earth accepted them, only Rylee and a few of her closest friends. "But, what of Elrond? You said that he chose to live as an Elf. Does he survive?"

"Aye, he was there at the Battle of the Last Alliance," Gandalf nodded happy to move on to happier topics. Or so he thought, "After Sauron fell, and Isildur took the ring, Elrond returned to Imladris."

"The ring," Rylee said as a prickly sensation of darkness climbed her spine, "If Isildur died, what happened to it?"

"It was lost," Gandalf confessed uneasily, looking across at her. Rylee turned and looked right back at him, giving him a hard look.

"So this great and terrible ring could be out there anywhere, corrupting the world? And darkness is growing?" Rylee whispered looking back at the others, "It needs to be found and destroyed!"

"We know this, Rylee, we are looking for it," Gandalf said quietly, feeling a little more relaxed at her response. "Believe me, we are doing our utmost effort to find, and destroy, all of Sauron's devices."

It was then that Thorin called to make camp and their conversation was cut short. Rylee nearly swore in frustration, she had so many more questions. She would have to ask another day, she had chores to attend to, and original Khuzdul to teach. She unrolled her bedroll and set up her place by Mikhaul, taking off her axes and putting them under her pillow as she usually did. She removed her whip and oiled the rings, cleaned them and made sure that the blades were still in good repair.

Kili watched as she removed her weapons, cleaning and sharpening the blades, even the long dagger she hid under her axes came off and ended up on her bedroll. Her movements were thoughtful and precise, as though she was lost in the movement of her work. A small frown marred her face. Rylee seemed to be in yet another low mood. Since the night of her break down, her smiles were still few and far between. Though she was still fighting the hold that her dreams had on her, she was not free yet. They still had to wake her for watch. Kili was concerned about her. She promised that she would come to him if she needed his shoulder, but she was once again keeping her distance. Just like he thought would happen. What would it take for her to trust him?

As Rylee grabbed her journal and joined Ori for his lesson in First Age Khuzdul, Kili grabbed his sword and turned to his brother, "Spar with me?"

"Sure, what's on your mind?" Fili asked as they struck at each other, taking their time to go through the motions of a mock battle.

"What do you think?" Kili rolled his eyes. She was always on his mind. He could think of little else. He looked over at her, working away with Ori, going over the runes in her journal. They were discussing back and forth several of the differences in word usage and etymology.

"You know there are no customs out here on the road, you could claim her, throw caution to the wind and just ask her to be yours," Fili suggested softly.

"No I cannot," Kili shook his head, meeting his brother's eye as he parried a thrust of Fili's left hand sword. "Mikhaul has been telling me about First Age customs, the Dwarf would show his suitability and basically hunt his intended, if the couple seemed to be compatible, he would make a token, a substantial token which would hold great meaning to the couple. If the Dwarrowdam accepted the suit, it would be her move to ask for courting braids."

"So what's the problem? Give Rylee a token," Fili thrust against Kili with both swords but was soundly blocked and pushed back.

"That's the problem," Kili said glumly, "I have nothing to give her that shows her that I am worthy of her affection. All of our wealth lies back in Ered Luin, I have no access to a forge, and no way to make something that would hold meaning between us."

"So, now what?" Fili asked as he defended himself against a frustrated Kili. "Rylee could follow our customs and ask you to court her."

"She won't, though Mikhaul told me that in this case it would fall on Rylee to make a move, and if she does it will be in the standards of First Age customs," Kili attacked again only to be pushed back by Fili and his sword knocked from his hands.

"I don't think I understand what you mean," Fili waited for Kili to retrieve his sword so they could go again.

"Rylee has been making a token," Kili whispered quietly as he stood by his brother, "but she is undecided about giving it to me. I just don't know how to convince her."

Hours later, when the light was low, Rylee decided that she was done for the evening. She sat back as Ori continued to work on ciphering her dragon history, looked over the camp and thought about the journey that the Company was on. Where they had been and where they were yet to go. A tune brushed into her head, one that could be sung to the tread of venturing feet. She started tapping out the tune on her knees and started to hum.

Ori noticed that Rylee's attention was no longer on the Runes and stopped what he was doing. He watched her for a long moment as she seemed to lose herself in the beat and music that she was humming. When she finally finished he closed the journal, and handed it to her. "It is a catchy tune, Rylee."

"It is," Rylee agreed, feeling a bit sheepish, "Ori, I am sorry for being so distracted tonight,"

"That's all right. You obviously have a lot on your mind," Ori smiled softly and moved off to join his brothers.

She started humming softly to herself again and rose from her seat to put away her journal and quill. Bombur and Bofur were still working on getting dinner cooked. Everyone seemed to be in groups of two or three in deep conversation. Rylee was lost in the tune when she began to sing;

_"Rise up the road beneath my feet,_

_A journey forth to the world I greet,_

_My feet will drum as my heart shall beat,_

_Seeking friends that I may meet,_

_Upon this path I tread so fleet,_

_For adventures create a life so sweet,_

_Upon this road beneath eager feet."_

On the other side of camp Bilbo was sitting off on his own with a pile of pebbles knocking pinecones off of a fallen tree. In his youth he was a champion rock thrower, he had an exceptional arm. From the looks of his aim, he was suffering from lack of practice. He stopped and turned to listen to the song Rylee was singing, his eyes went wide. It was a song that was passed down from generation to generation of Took's. Her voice was soft and sweet, the entire camp stopped to listen, even Fili and Kili who were sparring. Rylee didn't even seem to notice. When her song ended Bilbo turned back to his rocks and tossed another stone at a hanging pine cone. Bilbo could not help but wonder how Rylee knew such an ancient walking song, a Hobbit walking song, no less.

Rylee scanned the camp and her eyes fell on Bilbo throwing his rocks. The image of the black haired hobbit passed through her mind once again. She could see the resemblance in their height, and their eyes, and the shape of their ears, and the fact that Bilbo was quite an adventurer. She remembered that the Fallohide Hobbits were the most likely to go on adventures where the Stoors and Harfoots were less likely to be seen far from their homes. How did she know these things? She watched Bilbo with open curiosity for a long moment before joining him. She rarely seemed to get the chance to talk to the Hobbit.

"Lovely evening, is it not, Bilbo?" Rylee said standing beside him.

He looked up at her in surprise and smiled, "It most undoubtedly is, Rylee, would you care to join me?"

"I would love to," Rylee said taking a seat beside him.

"The song you sang before," Bilbo looked at her curiously, "Where did you learn it?"

"I have no idea. It just came into my mind. It is meant to be sung while walking is it not?" Rylee said thoughtfully. She had a feeling that of all people in the Company, he would be the one to know of its origin.

"Well, yes, it is an ancient Hobbit walking song," Bilbo said as he picked up another rock to throw. He looked at the stone in his hand before he looked up at her, with a sad smile of happy remembrance, "My mother taught it to me when I was a child. She said it was a song of the Took's."

Bilbo turned back to look at his target. Rylee thought about what Bilbo said, 'Took', she knew that name somehow. The black haired hobbit with bright blue eyes, filtered back into her mind and she remembered him teaching her a game. A game of Rocks. She watched Bilbo for several minutes as he tossed rocks with a fair amount of accuracy at the pinecones on the fallen tree. His aim was shaky, like it would be after years of not practicing. "When was the last time you played a game of Rocks, Bilbo?"

"It has been years since I played Rocks," Bilbo sighed in dissatisfaction as he missed another pinecone. "It is a young Hobbit's game. I am surprised you know about it."

"I know many things about Hobbits, I am not certain how I know these things, but I do remember playing Rocks, with a black haired hobbit," Rylee confessed quietly. Bilbo met her eyes with a concerned look and she just shrugged in response. She was quiet for a long moment as Bilbo threw another rock and narrowly missed another pinecone. "Would you play a game against me?"

"I don't know, Rylee, I have seen your aim. You have a perfect shot." Bilbo shook his head slowly. Rylee could see the barely concealed desire in his eyes and on his face.

"Will you play me if I play backwards?" Rylee asked, trying to convince him. "I will help you with your throw, I can already tell you that you need to loosen your wrist, and your arms are too tight."

Bilbo relaxed his arms and shook out his wrist and threw again, the rock sailed steadily to its target, sending the pinecone flying. "All right, let's play. Help me make the rings?"

They worked together to set up a target on the ground that consisted of three overlapping rings, clearing the ground of rocks and debris so they could keep track of the falls of the stones they would throw. Rylee set up five posts in a half circle around the rings to bounce the rocks off of. "I think we are ready Master Baggins. You go first."

"I call post two, four, to center," Bilbo said confidently and threw his rock, it hit the second post, bounced to the fourth and landed in the middle ring. He grinned with pride and Rylee chuckled.

"I think I am about to be bamboozled. It's a good thing I didn't bet anything on this game, Bilbo." Rylee shook her head. She stood with her back to the target range, "I call post one, five, front."

She had to throw the stone with her arm wrapped around her body, and her head craned over her shoulder. She released the stone and it hit the first post, bounced, and hit the fifth before landing on the ground just outside the front ring. "Awe, Crumb Bubbly! I am out of practice."

"Crumb Bubbly?" Bilbo asked his brow arched.

"What? I am keeping it clean for innocent Hobbit ears," Rylee teased him, and Bilbo had the decency to blush at her banter. "I do not want to defile your brilliant mind with my foul mouth."

"I have heard you can swear like a wayfarer," Bilbo chuckled softly, "Where did you pick up such a habit?"

"From Durin the Deathless, or so Ori calls him," Rylee grinned thinking of the Dwarf. Her eyes flicked to Fili who was sparring on the other side of camp with Kili. "It is uncanny, the likeness between Fili and Durin. It is like he is still here, and yet Fili is entirely his own person."

"How do you mean?" Bilbo asked her with his usual genuine curiosity.

"Well, Durin was this larger than life warrior, overbearing, over proud, often overwhelming. He exaggerated every story he ever told. While Fili is much calmer, he is more relaxed and yet he is so noble and deeply intelligent. They both share the same sense of humor though, both are loyal to the end, and they look a lot alike," Rylee said with a smirk. "Though, I think Durin had a longer nose."

"That's amusing, considering that Fili has the longest nose in the company," Bilbo quipped wittily making Rylee laugh. They continued to play several rounds, Bilbo beating her five times to her four. Each shot getting progressively harder until their stones were bouncing to each of the five posts before hitting the target. Rylee finally tied the game five to five, and the next round would determine the winner. The dwarves gathered around to watch the odd game of skill.

"What are you doing, Rylee? You look like some odd crane!" Bofur asked standing beside her as she took aim at her called targets.

"If she was a crane, she would be on one foot," Bilbo retorted, he had a happy glint in his eye as he watched Rylee prepare to throw, "You should try it Rylee. I dare you!"

"Did you just dare me, Master Baggins?" Rylee said with shock, she looked at Bilbo, her eyes wide. That was a rather bold move for the usually quiet Hobbit.

"I did! I dare you to hit your targets backwards and on one foot." Bilbo said with a grin, obviously getting excited. "And, and, and – You cannot step down until you hit the bull's-eye! Or you forfeit."

"What! You are mad!" Rylee said incredulously, looking at the targets, it was hard enough hitting the posts behind her back.

"I thought you said you never backed down from a challenge," Dwalin teased her gently. From that very first day, she was always surprising them. This was the first time they ever saw her try to back down from any contest.

"Oh, I did say that, didn't I?" Rylee said as she rolled her eyes, she looked at the targets over her shoulder and back at the rock in her hand. "Fine, you are on, Bilbo, but if I am successful you have to do the same thing."

She stood with her back to the target, her rock in her hand, arm wrapped around her body preparing to throw. She slowly lifted her right leg, trying to find her balance as she put her right foot on her inner thigh. She felt shaky at best. She bit her lip and focused her concentration on her balance and her target. Taking a deep breath she let the rock fly. The rock hit the first two posts in the sequence she called and it was on its way to the third, when something nudged the back of her knee. She toppled in a heap, rolled and bounced back up and brushed herself off, just like nothing happened. Dwalin snorted and she shot him a glare.

"Bob!" Ori yelled, from the far side of the fire with his hands waving in the air, making a goof of himself. Rylee started to chuckle at the randomness of his action. The rest of the company looked on in confusion over the inside joke and Rylee only laughed harder at their expressions.

"You stepped down! I win!" Bilbo crowed happily, giving her a huge grin.

"Hey! I call obstruction on the play!" Rylee protested with a wry grin. "You, Master Baggins, owe me a rematch!"

"Thanks, Kili, she would have won, if you hadn't stepped in," Bilbo grinned at him, his eyes sparkling. Rylee stopped laughing and turned to where the Hobbit was pointing. They looked back at the targets and sure enough Rylee's stone was sitting smack dab in the bull's-eye. "It was going straight for the bulls-eye when you lost your footing."

Rylee had no point but to concede the win to Bilbo, if she had been paying attention she would have noticed someone was behind her, she should have heard them. She swung around to see Kili behind her a small smirk on his face and that sparkling troublesome glint in his eyes. Her eyes widened in shock, as she took in his cocky stance, and the crossed arms. He cost her the game! The bloody trickster! She narrowed her eyes for a moment as a plan began to form, if he wanted to play that game, she was willing to join.

"So that was your doing, was it?" Rylee grinned mischievously, catching his eye. She spied the nearly full bucket of clean cooking water. It would still be plenty cold. It was less than a foot away. She spun, grabbed it, and tossed the contents of the bucket at Kili and Fili who stood just beside him. They blinked at her, dripping water from their hair, and faces, and their clothes were completely soaked. Rylee's chuckle caught in her throat as their eyes narrowed and she knew immediately that she was in trouble. With a leap they were after her and Rylee jumped into a full out run.

She shrieked and weaved through the camp, running like a mad hare being chased by wolves. Her small frame easily ducked under the arm of Dwalin and then Thorin, as she dashed away through camp, with both Kili and Fili hot on her heels. She ran around Bombur once as she made her way through camp, making the rotund dwarf laugh as he got a look at the feral grin that graced Rylee's face.

They were trying to corner her and came close. Kili grabbed a hold of the shoulder of her thick tunic, hauling her back. She shrugged her arms up and let the tunic be pulled off of her frame and was immediately caught the same way by Fili. Again she shrugged off the Mithril Corselet that was being used to hold her back, now she was wearing only her thin tunic over her breaches and her leather boots. Seeing an escape route, she took it. There was only one way to go and that was over the cooking fire, Bombur pulled the spit away just in time. Rylee ran and jumped, launching herself up and over the fire. The flames reached up licking against her as she soared over top. Diving forward she landed on her hands, rolled, and bounced back to her feet, before running towards the safety of an open field.

It was a spectacular maneuver, but the company stepped back out of the way to clear a path for Fili and Kili. Rylee didn't go far before she was tackled unceremoniously into the ground by the soggy princes of Durin. Kili grabbed her by the waist and hauled her down with him. He rolled with her to make sure she didn't get hurt by the sudden fall. Fili landed on top of them both, dog piling them. They didn't let her up, Kili wrapped his arms around her writhing form and Fili pinned her legs.

"Now that we've caught her, what should we do with her, brother?" Fili asked with a mischievous grin. Rylee recognized that cheeky Durin grin, knowing that she was in for trouble she tried to slip their hold on her but it was little use, she knew she was well caught.

"We will do what Mother and Uncle used to do with us," Kili said with a matching look. "We tickle her to tears."

"Oh, No!" Rylee struggled harder, but they held fast, grinning down at her. Their hair and beards still shimmered with the damp, and their wet clothes clung to their skin. "No tickling!"

"We don't even know if she is ticklish," Fili scoffed his eyebrow quirking.

"She must be or she would not be making such a fuss," Kili said as he held Rylee against his chest. He could not help but think that it was where she belonged. She felt her shiver against him as he whispered in her ear, "Right, Rylee?"

"She is," Thorin said from the edge of camp, where the entire company was watching their antics. Rylee's eyes opened comically wide and she started shaking her head. Pleading for Thorin not to give up her secret, but she saw the same glint in his eyes that Mahal would get when he played this game. She knew she was doomed the moment he teased, "But only in two places."

"How do you – Oh! Mahal told you! That's not fair!" Rylee cried as she tried to wiggle out of Kili's strong arms. "No, no, no, please don't tell them!"

"Those two won't need any help, Rylee," Thorin grinned at her and her eyes widened in horror. Fili grabbed her legs to get a better grip and as he did his fingers dipped into the sensitive skin at the back of her knees. She yelped and jerked in reaction, making both brothers laugh.

"Found one!" Fili called lightly brushing his fingers over the same spot and Rylee could not stop the laugh that erupted. It was by chance that Kili found the spot on her sides, just below her ribs that sent her into gales of laughter. Fili chuckled as he announced, "Kili found the other!"

"No!" Rylee gasped between bursts of uneven laughter, "Stop!" she tried again but it ended in a shriek of uncontrolled giggles. The entire company started to laugh as Rylee lost herself to the throes of mirth.

"You think we should rescue her?" Bofur asked from beside Thorin.

"No, leave them be. Rylee needs to laugh." Thorin said with a grin, as he watched her struggle weakly against Kili as she laughed herself silly. "Besides, if she was against this, they would be in a brawl."

"Ah!" She was laughing so hard that her ribs hurt and her eyes were clenched shut. She could barely breathe with the intensity of it. Her ribs felt so tight, and she just could not seem to get any air. She pulled in a loud snort of air, and chortled even harder at the sound of it.

"Make her do it again!" Fili grinned at Kili. Twice more she snorted, making Fili and Kili laugh at her expense. They nearly let her go as they did, and Rylee tried to crawl away, but they caught her again and within seconds she was helpless once again.

They continued to tickle her until her uncontrolled giggles seemed to stop. They couldn't hear anything from her. Fili looked up at her and fell backwards laughing, his legs still tangled with hers. Rylee was laughing so hard, she lost her voice. She was in fits, and seemed to be convulsing, but she was trying to take breaths between laughter and it wasn't working. Finally she took a gulp of air and it burst back out as a cackle as she laughed, tears streaming down her face. She raised her hands in the air and signed 'surrender' in Iglishmek and finally Kili stopped tickling her and just held her in his arms. She went limp and leaned against him, struggling to catch her breath.

Rylee looked up at Kili and grinned at him, her head leaned heavily on his chest. He could not help but return her smile. She was sitting between his legs, her back to his front, and her arms resting on his thighs. His hands still lingered at her waist, just holding her against him. Sitting with her in his embrace felt like the most natural thing in all the world and Kili didn't want it to end. He lowered his face to hers and kissed her gently on the forehead. She sighed softly and leaned into him, as though she was craving his closeness as much as he needed hers. They were both oblivious of Fili, who was sitting at their feet, Rylee's legs still loosely pinned under his.

Fili watched them, a small smile spreading across his face. The two were made for each other. Why didn't they just court already? Sure there were rituals back in society, but Fili figured that they didn't quite apply with Rylee and Kili. Not out here in the wild, and not with both of them from being from different Ages. Tokens or no tokens, they should just be together now.

Rylee fell into Kili's dark eyes for a long moment, and she felt a deep longing fill her. She wanted him. Everywhere she touched him she could feel his searing touch. His warmth filled her and coiled in her belly. She could feel the blush rising in her face and she broke eye contact before she gave away all of her emotions. She looked past him and into the dark night sky beyond him, her breath caught once again. The stars were shining so brightly in the darkened sky that she could count every star and pick out each of the constellations. Happy tears filled her eyes and she whispered a prayer to Varda;

"Blessed be, Elentári, blessed be, may the starlight shine ever brightly and serve you faithfully. Blessed be, Elentári, blessed be, let the starlight mark my path and your blessings light my way."

"What was that?" Kili asked quietly, he looked down at Rylee and saw a happy contented smile on her face as she looked up at the stars. The sparks in her eyes rivaled the gems in the night sky.

"A prayer to Varda," Rylee whispered softly, "I am blessed to see the stars tonight, to see them in the heavens. They are so very beautiful."

"Do you know all the constellations Rylee?" Fili asked from beyond her feet. He was sitting up and looking up at the stars.

"Of course, Fili," Rylee sighed softly, "Varda taught me. She tried to teach me how to read them, but I am not very good at it. Jovina Malagnûna was able to read them really well. The main stars and constellations are constant and never changing. The smaller stars are the ones you must watch. When they move amongst the greater constellations they have special meanings. Most of their movements are unknown to me. They are so intricate and ever changing. I have never had the time to study them, always training and going to battle."

"What is that one?" Fili asked pointing up. He moved to his brother's side so Rylee could better see the stars he was pointing at. "The one shaped like a 'W'."

"That one there is Wilwarin, the butterfly." Rylee said looking up to where Fili was pointing. Rylee moved his hand a little to the left and continued, "That one there is Valacirca, the Sickle of the Valar. Jovina called it The Seven Stars."

There was a faint growling sound nearby and both Fili and Kili sat up, in concern. Rylee was forced to sit up straighter against Kili, as his hands dropped protectively around her belly. Fire stirred inside her at the somewhat possessive contact. She could feel the blush as it spread across her cheeks. The growl came again and Rylee's blush deepened. She made a small whimpering sound in her throat as she tried to decide what to do. She was starving and wanted food, yet she didn't want to leave Kili's arms. She looked at the concerned expression on Fili's face and a small smile curved her lips as she made up her mind. She looked up at Kili and got lost in his dark fathomless eyes.

Kili's eyes met hers as he looked down at her, leaning snuggly against his frame. Her fiery hair spilled around them and her dark grey eyes were wide and innocent as they met his. A soft pink blush filled her cheeks and a small smile lifted the corners of her lips. His heart stopped as he realized exactly how intimate they were acting at the moment. He spread his fingers, letting them brush the underside of her breasts as he pulled her against him. She released a soft "Oh" at the contact and his eyes fell to her lips, he wanted to kiss her. She was wearing so few layers that he could feel the slight curve of bone and muscle at her ribs, as well as the swell of her breasts against his fingertips. The growl came again and he felt the slight tremor under his hands.

"Did you hear that?" Fili asked looking past them towards the forest.

"Hear what?" Rylee said as she moved wide innocent eyes towards Fili.

Kili looked at Rylee, his eyebrow arching and watched as her smile widened. Fili looked back and Rylee's expression was back to being innocent and watchful. Her stomach growled again, slightly louder and more intensely, Kili had to force himself not to react when Fili said, "There it is again. Did you not hear it?"

"It's likely just a wolf, Fili," Rylee said softly looking over at the forest on the other side of them, the same direction that Fili was looking, "Nothing to be worried about."

"But the ponies," Fili's eyes grew wide as he thought about the potential danger to the ponies. Intense concern washed over his features as the growl came again. Kili could not believe his brother was falling for this trick, since it was so obvious where the noise was coming from.

"If you are so worried, Fili, go check it out," Rylee said softly. She was still leaning against Kili, his hands still brushed against her ribs and belly. Her nipples were starting to tighten and pucker as his fingertips glided against the underside of her breasts. These were sensations she never felt before, and she was stunned by the intensity and the heat and the want that came with them. Desire consumed her and the only thing she knew was that Kili was the only one who could fulfill that need. She forced herself not to move, not to react to the intimate caresses that made her ache so sweetly. Really, she should not be allowing this closeness, but being around Kili just felt so right. It was hard to remind herself to stay away from him. Hard to remind herself of Thorin's warning.

Kili tried not to laugh as the growling started again and the tremors thrummed under his fingers. Fili stood and took off toward the bushes, pulling two of his hunting knives. As soon as he was out of earshot, Rylee suddenly sat up, as she whispered, "Well that's my cue, I wonder if dinner is ready."

"That was not very nice, Rylee," Kili whispered in her ear. He was still holding her waist, this was the closest she allowed him to be to her in days, he didn't want to break the connection yet, "It was very, very naughty."

Rylee turned to face him, forcing him to let her go before kneeling between his legs. She put her hands on each of his thighs, and met his eyes. Kili swallowed, she was being oddly forward this evening and he was growing warm and aroused by her antics. He wanted to haul her against him then and there. She was being coy, and sultry and oh, so sexy. Her next words made his mouth go dry as she winked at him and whispered huskily, "Of course it was naughty, Kili, I have never claimed to be nice."

She had no idea what made her say that, and the raw dark response in his eyes thrilled her and scared her at the same time. Rylee jumped to her feet and pulled Kili with her, she held her finger to her lips telling him to be silent and they fled to the safety of the campfire. She turned back at the edge of camp, so she could watch Fili's reaction and called loudly, "Bombur! Is dinner ready yet? The beast in my belly is growling something fierce!"

Fili stopped dead in his tracks at the edge of the forest, shock flashed across his face, followed by annoyance and frustration as Rylee started to laugh. Fili shouted in frustration, "Rylee! You are a little terror!"

"So I have been told. Who do you think gave Thorin his silver hair?" Rylee teased, making the whole Company behind her laugh.

Kili could not help but laugh as Fili stowed his knives and ran back to camp. With an annoyed growl Fili grabbed Rylee around the waist and spun her around. She shrieked in outrage and hit the back of Fili's knee, forcing him to release her and they fell together in a heap. Fili met Kili's eyes with a grin, but all he said was, "Was it truly her stomach making that noise?"

"I cannot believe you fell for that," Kili said with a smirk, he offered them each a hand to help them up. Without even a glance at each other, Rylee and Fili pulled Kili to the ground between them. The company was laughing at their childish antics, as they kept pulling each other back to the ground, in their efforts to get back up. Finally, Rylee scrambled away and headed over to Bombur and the smell of food.

"Bombur, you really should feed her. Her stomach is as loud as a wolf." Fili grinned from his place beside Kili on the ground. Every time he thought he had her figured out, she did something new, and it was always when she was around Kili. It was absolutely fascinating. Fili rose and whispered softly to Kili, "Well, brother, I am certain that she still favors you. You might earn that token yet."

Kili sat for a moment watching Rylee talk to Bombur, as he relived having her in his arms, relaxed and happy. Her hair splayed out around them, looking up at him with her wide grey eyes. Or that playful, lusty look she gave him before she got up. He didn't care what kind of token she gave him. He just wanted something that would indicate that she liked him in return. He resigned himself to waiting Rylee out, so far he was doing all the chasing.

Rylee received a bowl of stew from Bombur, nearly full to the brim, where the others were filled to just above half. She looked at Bombur and shook her head, "You still give me too much, my friend."

"You keep giving it away," Bombur grinned at her and Rylee shook her head. It was the same argument at every meal. Then he winked at her and whispered, "Why do you think I give Kili so little?"

"Oh!" Rylee gasped in surprise and Bombur laughed at her. She blushed and turned to take her usual seat with Thorin.

"Feeling better, Lukhdel? Your mood has been rather low these last few days," Thorin whispered softly, bumping her shoulder gently.

"Aye, Ugshar, apparently I needed to release my inner woman, and have a mood swing," Rylee replied softly, leaning against him as she ate her food. Thorin snorted in mirth and grinned at her. Rylee was amusing. When she was an adolescent and her moods swung violently, she was absolutely beside herself, and thought for certain she was defective. It took all of the Ainu to convince her that she was in no way defective, and her moods were perfectly normal.

"So is it true Uncle?" Kili asked sitting next to Rylee as he ate his very small portion of stew. Rylee smirked and met Bombur's eyes, blushing fiercely. He winked at her with a large open smile. Apparently the round red headed cook was playing matchmaker.

"Who gave you more silver hair?" Fili clarified the question when Thorin only arched a brow at his nephews. "Us or Rylee?"

"Definitely Rylee," Thorin smirked. He nudged Rylee, who chuckled softly at their surprised responses.

She looked up at Fili and Kili, with innocent wide grey eyes. She quirked a brow and smirked, her innocent face instantly changed to one that was devilish and cunning. A wry smile lifted her lips as she asked, "You didn't honestly think it was the pair of you?"


	14. Why They Call It Falling

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 14

Why They Call It Falling

May 23

According to Thorin's map they were well past the Weather Hills, entering the foothills of the Misty Mountains and they were making good time. The sun was already hovering over the horizon by the time they stopped for the night. It was a pretty place for a camp, just a little too high up for Rylee's comfort, and too exposed, she didn't like it and there was something about the place that made a shiver run up her spine.

Rylee spent the previous days avoiding Kili, she was trying to give herself enough space to think about what she wanted, and to keep from falling even more in love with him. Was that even possible? The depths of her emotions regarding him terrified her. When Kili approached her Rylee found something else to do yet she watched him keenly wherever he went. She was just not sure what to do. Did she give Kili the token along with her heart? Or did she keep it to herself, fulfill her quest, and allow herself to fade from the world?

This night was her archery lesson with Kili. Of everything that she had to do that kept her busy, lessons with Kili were becoming an ordeal. She was leaving each lesson even more frustrated than the one before. Unsure if it was because she was pushing Kili away, while simultaneously wanting to pull him into her arms, or because she was still missing the target. Even though the arrows were no longer grouping together in one bunch, they still pulled to the right in various degrees. Yet the moment he touched her, even on the hand, she would hit the target dead on, much to her chagrin. "There is no point to this Kili, what need is there for an archer that misses everything she aims at?"

"But you are getting better, Rylee. The arrows are not landing so far away, in fact they have moved within a few feet from the target. It is much better than your first night," Kili reminded her. Yet again she loosed an arrow and it was a mere few inches to the left of her last one.

"Aye, by my calculations, I will finally be able to hit the target on my own in about three years." Rylee snapped sarcastically, there was that odd flash of lightning in her eyes as she spoke, making the hair on his arms rise. He wordlessly handed her another arrow, she rolled her eyes and took it from him. "Fine but this is the last one."

"You are over thinking again, Rylee," Kili admonished her. He could see it on her face whenever she put too much thought into her stance, or her aim. She would stiffen and her brow would furrow and her eyes would narrow in concentration. Her arrow would veer far to the right. When she relaxed and cleared her mind and allowed the movements to be natural, her accuracy increased and she could hit within a foot of the target, naturally, it still veered to the right but it was better. "Stop thinking of what you are doing and just let it happen. We both know that your stance and aim are perfect. Just let go of your thoughts."

She sighed and tried to do as he asked, raising the bow and prepared to shoot. There was one long strand of hair from the back of her head caught in the bow string, so Kili reached forward and pulled it back, his fingers brushing gently against her neck just as she released. It hit the target. Any normal person would have been pleased, but both of them knew it was only because he touched her that she hit the target. "Beautiful distraction Kili, are you going to stand behind me in battle and play with my hair so that I can hit the targets as they come?"

"Are you giving me permission to play with your hair, Rylee?" Kili asked lightly, trying to break the sudden tension, but his fingers were currently still caught in the tangles, making the tension rise in an altogether different direction. He watched her swallow as she turned to look at him, her eyes wide and filled with something he could not fathom. He was close enough to kiss her, a mere few inches. He looked at her lips and moved to lower his lips to hers.

She spun on her heel and walked up the path going back to the camp. She needed space, time away from Kili. He was driving her to insanity. If she let him kiss her even once more, she knew there would be no going back, not for her, she would tumble so far down that there would be no rising. If what Kili felt was only lust, if he didn't feel the same as she did, she would be heartbroken until the end of her time in Middle-Earth. By fade or by dragon, she was certain she was doomed to die.

The place Thorin chose for camp was a pretty place, a high bluff that looked over the long valley below. She stayed far from the edge of the overlook and away from the fire, which was set under an outcropping of a cliff. Mikhaul was staying with the ponies to keep watch over them. Regardless, Rylee set her bedroll in the shadows near the horses, and of course, Fili and Kili's bedrolls were set up right beside hers. Once again she noticed the fan of bedrolls just beyond theirs, Balin, Thorin and Dwalin. Rylee shook her head, and rolled her eyes, bloody dwarven mother hens.

She made her way over to Mikhaul and rummaged in her pack until she found her comb and a thick silver clip. There would be no more kissing and no more playing with her hair. She would take care of that issue once and for all. She quickly pulled through the tangles, separating the braids and gently working through the knots with the carved bone comb until her hair fell in smooth dark waves down her back.

She felt the familiar stirring of a presence up her spine and stood straighter, looking out over the valley, "Do you feel it Mikhaul?"

"Aye, it is weak, but it is there," Mikhaul answered with a soft snort, "It is distant, at least that far bluff on the far side of the valley."

"Stay alert, we may have to go hunting," Rylee whispered softly. She kept her voice low to keep from scaring Bilbo, who was not too far away, feeding one of Mikhaul's apples to Myrtle. Mikhaul hummed in agreement, and Rylee sat down to finish her task, pretending nothing was out of sorts.

She placed the comb back into the bag and her fingers brushed against the token, and she glanced over at Kili as he came into camp. A knot settled in her stomach as she once again wondered if she should give it to him. No, she could not. Could she? She would never know if she didn't ask him, but no, she was not ready. She closed the bag and sat back into her seat and was just separating her hair into three long strands, when a noise echoed over the valley. The cry of a dying animal, followed by the faint calls of a war cry, it could be the Orcs she sensed were hunting game.

Kili's eyes followed Rylee. Something was wrong. She was on edge since arriving at camp and he wondered why. While she braided every strand of her lush, dark, fiery tresses into a thick plait, she was whispering quietly with Mikhaul. Was it because he tried to kiss her? She had never pulled away from him like that before, he was certain that she desired him, every response she gave him was positive. So why did she not let him kiss her? Kili glared at the braid, hating it, wanting to push her hands away and unravel the plait.

"What, what was that?" Bilbo asked as he looked back at Fili and Kili, who joined his brother, sitting near the fire under a low outcropping. Rylee stiffened and shot the Hobbit a worried glance, as she reached for her pillow where her axes lay hidden. This Company was the closest thing to home she found since leaving Mahal's Mansion. She wasn't keen on losing a single member.

"Are they closer, Mikhaul?" Rylee whispered under her breath.

Letting her senses widen she tried to feel if anything of darkness was in the vicinity, she looked at Mikhaul and the horse shook her head. She knew all about Orcs and Wargs, and the horrible things that they could do to a person, even a well trained warrior. The Orcs were out there, but keeping their distance. Why?

"Orcs," Kili imparted to the Hobbit, his face was serious as he looked up at Bilbo. It was time to lighten the mood a bit, and playing with Bilbo's naivety seemed like the perfect outlet.

"Orcs?" Bilbo asked, his fear rising visibly on his curious face as he moved closer to the fire. He knew Rylee hunted them, but they never came so close to their camp before. Thorin even sat up at the word and started to look around, searching for danger in the darkness. One word and it put every one of them on edge.

"Throat cutters," Fili added taking a puff off of his pipe, sensing his brother's game, he played along. He was rather bored of the dour mood and the overall tension of the camp, "There will be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them."

Rylee was startled. How did they know they were out there, the sound was of an animal, and unless they could suddenly hear as well as she did, or feel the shadowy temptation of darkness, there was no way they could know the Orcs were there. She looked at Thorin and met his eye, she glanced in the direction that she felt the presence, letting him know that they were out there. She hadn't felt the presence of anything since they returned from the dragon. The fact that the darkness was so silent for the past eleven days was as worrisome as when she went hunting on a daily basis. The suddenness of the change had them both on edge.

"They strike in the wee small hours while everyone is asleep." Kili joined in telling the terrified Hobbit an unfortunate truth, "Quick and quiet, no screams, just lots of blood."

There was a long silence as Bilbo's fear rose, then Kili and Fili both chuckled quietly. Rylee glared at them, from her place by Mikhaul. Still on alert but feeling no change in the distance of the presence, Rylee released the handle of her axe and resumed braiding her hair. The horse murmured into her subconscious that they were a pair of jokers, Rylee nodded and whispered softly to the horse, "Aye, exactly like that Mikhaul, jesters the pair of 'em."

"You think that's funny," Thorin growled at his nephews, "you think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?"

Rylee flinched inwardly. Sometimes the only way to break through the darkness was to find levity, and Kili was only trying to lighten the mood. She understood his intentions. He just picked the wrong topic to joke about, especially with Orcs sitting within range of her senses.

"We didn't mean anything by it," Kili said feeling quite troubled. With only a few words Thorin was able to put him in his place and remind him of the seriousness of this venture. He was only trying to lighten the mood, was that so wrong? Kili dropped his head in reflection. He must have taken it too far, especially after he watched Rylee's wary eyes follow Thorin away from the group.

"No you didn't," Thorin said stalking off to look over the bluff far below. Rylee indicated there was something out there, and his nephews were joking about Orcs. "You know nothing of the world."

Rylee winced at those last few words. Those words were engrained in her memory, and on her heart. Like an open wound, those words made her finch, they were harsh. She watched as Balin approached the pair of Princes, "Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate Orcs."

Fili watched his uncle as he walked away, wondering what could possibly make the strong man so upset. Balin started to speak, "_After the Dragon Smaug took the lonely mountain, we wandered westward over the Misty Mountains and into Dunland doing whatever work we could find to survive. It was not long before King Thror set out to find better settlement for our folk. He and his friend Nar journeyed to Moria. Upon finding the open gates, Thror went in, despite the pleas of Nar. For days Nar waited for Thror to return, until finally a horn blew and a lifeless form was tossed through the gate. It was the body of our King, his severed head tossed alongside his body with the name of his murderer carved into the flesh. Nar looked upon the defiled visage of his friend and King, and read the name of the beast that took the great stronghold of Durin's Folk. Azog."_

A shiver ran down Bilbo's spine as he listened to the tale. These dwarves had more stories about battles than any other. The only thing that outshone their battle tales, were their tales about the gold and gems that could be found in the mines of the great seven kingdoms. Bilbo didn't care for stories of gems and jewels, but the battle stories were different, they were history, terrifying history.

_"Upon the return of Nar, he gave the news of the death of the King. Thrain, Thorin's father was driven mad by grief. He swore vengeance upon the Orcs and called together all seven Dwarf kingdoms, none could bear such an insult as what was committed against the line of Durin. We made for the East Gate ready to retake the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria from Azog the Defiler. The Giant Gundabag Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin." _Balin's voice carried the memory and pain of the battle within it.

Rylee knew some of the history of this battle, Ori called it the Battle of Azunulbizar. A horrible battle that took place at the east gate of the Dwarven kingdom of Khazud-Dum, now called Moria. Khazad-Dum, the greatest kingdom in all of dwarf history was now in the hands of Orcs and who knew what else. The thought pained her that Durin's home was so desecrated by Morgoth's evil. Why was Morgoth so angry with Aulë that he had to try to destroy and despoil all of Aulë's creations? She knew the answer, but envy and jealousy seemed petty reasons for such destruction, in her mind.

_"With the arrival of Nain and his son Dain, leading their army from the Iron Hills, the tides were turned and we drove the Orcs back. Nain called Azog out of hiding, bidding the coward to fight, but when Azog came forth, Nain was killed. Dain, seeing his father slain, gave chase. He wounded the Orc terribly as he went, but Dain lost Azog in the rush of the battle. We fought hard until our King, Thrain, went missing. Taken prisoner or killed, we do not know. We were leaderless, our spirit broken. Defeat and death were upon us." _

Kili was never told the whole story, only snippets and pieces were filtered down to him. In their home, it was a subject that was never brought up. The memories were just too painful for Grandmother Nísi and Mother to bear. But he knew of the rage his people held for the Defiler and what he did to Thror. He knew of the losses of the battle that followed. He lost his grandfather Thrain, his uncle Frerin, and Cousin Nain all at once. Master Fundin, Balin and Dwalin's father, also died in that war. Great warriors, all of them, died long before he or Fili were ever born. He never even got to meet any of them. Kili knew that Thorin held out hope that Thrain yet lived, but the evidence of that, was severely lacking.

_"That is when I saw him, a young dwarf prince, facing down the pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe. His Armor rent… wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog the Defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken." _Bilbo looked at Thorin with a new understanding; he was a great warrior that experienced great losses to his enemies. No wonder these Dwarves followed him as their king._ "Upon seeing this feat, our forces rallied. Our enemy had been defeated, but there was no feast, no song that night. For our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived and I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King."_

Rylee understood now, the pain that lived in his eyes, why it so mirrored her own. Battles such as his, were fresh in her mind, she knew that pain. This was how he knew what it was like for her. This was why he did not belittle her pain. The loss of family, friends, comrades, and allies was still profound. She choked back the pain that began to build in her throat. Rylee snapped the clip closed into the end of her new braid and watched Thorin, where he was standing looking out at the fading scenery. It took a moment before she realized that the others around her stood in allegiance for their king.

Thorin turned then and met the eyes of his Company. They were standing and gathered, honoring him as their leader and their king. He met the eyes of Gloin and Dwalin, Ori and Nori. Beyond them stood the rest of the company all paying homage to their King. Oin stood at the foot of his bedroll looking at him with a sad remembrance of the battle on his face. Kili and Fili were the youngest, they were not in that battle, but he met their eyes too, because they honored him. Rylee was last. She stood in the shadows of the trees, away from the fire and the rest of the company. He met her eyes and he saw the pain. Raw, dark, and powerful. She nodded in acknowledgement, an acknowledgement of hard won victory, shrouded by soul shattering sorrow.

"And the pale Orc," Bilbo asked, from his seat on the ground. "What happened to him?"

"He slunk back to the hole whence he came," Thorin said darkly as he walked through the Company, "That filth died from his wounds long ago."

There was silence in the camp for a long while. Thorin returned to the place where he was reclining earlier, silently watching over camp. Several of the members went back to their bedrolls to catch a few hours of sleep before their turn on watch.

Rylee moved closer to the fire, her intention was to warm a small bit of water so she could make her moon tea. Most of the time Bombur would set aside some water for her, but that night her lesson with Kili took longer than normal. She filled the pot with water and set it to boil within the flames. The herbs were already in a cup by her bedroll waiting for the water. She stood, turned to walk away, and instead ran directly into Fili. She flailed her arms and fell back with a shriek, landing where else, but Kili's lap. Fili laughed as did Bofur and Dwalin, perfectly timed.

"You really are making this a habit," Kili grinned down at her as she sprawled across him. Before she could even think of escaping he gathered her closer and wrapped his arms around her. "Not that I mind."

She was curled intimately against his chest, his warmth radiating out. The scents of sunshine, leather, and Dwarven tobacco teased her nose. As she looked up at him, she met his dark eyes, her heart stopped. Her chest tightened and fire coiled in her belly so tight it was painful. For days she tried to keep this exact thing from happening, and she was successful. Why was today different? Every time she found herself in Kili's arms her brain went right out the window. Case in point, confessions of lust on horseback, where the heck was her brain when that happened? Or reclining in his lap after being tickled to tears, and teasing him about being naughty. Again, a brainless moment fueled by lust.

She forced herself to turn away from Kili and glared up at Fili, "You did that on purpose."

"I did not, Lass, you really need to watch where you are going," He grinned at her, she scowled back up at him. He chuckled and walked away giving his brother and Rylee a little bit of privacy.

"Does it matter, Rylee? As long as you fall where I can catch you," Kili whispered in her ear, making a shiver run through her body. She needed space from him before she did something altogether stupid, like kissing him. That thought made her look at his mouth, which made her bite her own lip, "When you do that I want to kiss you."

She gasped and looked up, her eyes meeting his. She took a breath about to say something when he lowered his lips to hers. She turned her head at the last moment. His lips grazing her cheek instead, she closed her eyes and moaned softly. Why was she denying herself again?

"Every time I get close, you turn away. Why Rylee, why do you avoid me like this?" He asked her in frustration. This was the second time that he tried to kiss her that she turned away at the last second. If he didn't know her better, he would call her a tease, but she wasn't, he could see the hesitation in her every move. What held her back? "Why do you stop me? I like you, you like me, so what is the problem?"

"My quest," She started, shaking her head. It took her a long moment before she could even think of why she turned away. She didn't just like him, she loved him, was head over heels for him. He was her One. She knew for herself that this was no infatuation, but what was it for him? He liked her, he wanted her, but did he love her in return?

"What about your quest?" Kili pushed, he really didn't see what that had to do with anything.

"What would be the point Kili? I am going to die, like I always do." Rylee told him as her mood darkened, the light in her eyes flashed up at him. She got her feet under her and pushed herself up, scrambling to her feet, and out of his embrace, "My quest is to change the hands of fate. Mahal said nothing about finding my-."

"Your what?" Kili asked her, jumping to his feet as well. He needed her to finish that sentence, and that thought, he needed to know what he was to her. Could he be her One?

"Nothing," She cried, stalking away. Her boiling water and the moon herbs were long forgotten. "I said nothing."

She walked back down the path towards the trees where they practiced shooting earlier, it was dark but for the sliver of light of the waning moon. Her hand was on the rock face to her right, feeling her way more than seeing. Kili grabbed her hand, spun her and pinned her against the rock face. One hand clasping hers and the other twining into the braided hair at the nape of her neck, he pulled her to him. He gave her no time to react before his lips crashed onto hers. He held her there, kissing her. Brushing his lips against hers, he gently bit her bottom lip, seeking entrance. With a soft moan she caved and opened for him, her free hand moved to clutch his shoulder, pulling him against her. His tongue touched hers, and she responded by seeking his. He explored her mouth, curling his tongue intimately around hers, coaxing her to do the same. He loved her innocence. She seemed so worldly in every other way but this one. He pulled away from her, loving her breathless little pants as she tried to catch her breath.

"Stop running away from me Rylee," Kili growled at her, meeting her eyes. Seeing her desire there made him want more. He needed more. It was not enough. He pressed her body against his as his mouth took hers again. He released her hand so he could pull her closer against him, molding her to him. Chest to chest, hip to hip, he wanted her to be as close as he could make her. She responded enthusiastically, her hands clutched at his shoulders and back, holding him tight. Soft mewling noises came from her throat as he pressed her against him. His hands roamed over her shoulders, her back, her bottom, pressing her against him as he devoured her like a starving man. He wanted to make her moan as he touched her and feel her hands on his bare skin in return. He wanted to make love to her and hear her cry out his name. He kissed her twice more before he lifted his head and looked down at her, both of them breathing heavily.

"I don't care if we all die tomorrow. I would rather spend what time I can with you than spend it apart." The hand in her hair pulled the braid up over her shoulder. He released the clasp and unraveled the plait. "Leave it loose, Rylee, I love the way it tangles around my fingers. It feels like silk spilling through my hands. I love the weight of the braids, and the beads, they catch the light like jewels."

Rylee looked up at him, her eyes wide, with her heart pounding in her chest. Did he have any idea what he was doing to her, the pleasure she felt when he touched her? Holding her against him, his hand cupped her bottom, as his other hand threaded through her hair. It was the most intimate thing she ever felt before. They were touching everywhere, her breasts brushed against his chest, his hips were pressed against hers, and she could feel his erection against her lower belly. Only the many layers of clothes they wore kept them apart. She wanted. She wanted him. Desperately. She was burning for him.

She raised a shaking hand and pulled his hair away from his eyes and a few stray hairs out of his face. Her other hand brushed over his face, from brow to cheek to the stubble on his jaw. Her fingers lingered there as the other hand ran through the fine strands of his hair. Did he have any idea? She met his eyes, they reflected the same overwhelming desire she was feeling. She wanted to give him her token, "Kili-."

"I have no right to ask you that, to tell you how to wear your hair, but I want to-, I want that right," Kili said, as he reveled in the feel of her hand on his face, warm, soft, gentle. He looked down at the somewhat bemused expression on her face, her fingers gently pulling through his own tangled hair made him realize exactly how much he needed her. He normally did not allow maids to touch his hair, yet Rylee's touch was acceptable. Hell, more than acceptable, it brought him pleasure whenever she touched his face or his hair. He put his forehead against hers, "I am rushing everything. I'm sorry. I just-."

"Kili, Stop. I will braid my hair as I want, when I want," Rylee told him, softly but firmly. He pulled away unsure how to take her rejection. She held him tight to her, pulling gently on his hair, forcing him to look at her. He met her eyes and there was a spark of light within their depths as she continued, "The only other person I want to touch or braid my hair is you."

"You would let me braid your hair?" He was breathless. She was offering him an intimacy that was priceless to him. She told them that she found braiding painful. But this, this was her choice. He was her choice. It was almost as good as a token.

"Yes, Kili," She whispered, her hand still in his hair, trying to find the courage to ask him to accept her token. She pulled him down brushing her lips against his. Her kiss was gentle, soft, and sweet, and then she started to back away. He growled and hauled her back against him, not wanting to let her go. "I need to sleep Kili, and you are on watch."

"Damn it!" he growled as he realized that he was supposed to be watching out for danger, and here he was kissing a fiery War Maiden instead of doing his sworn duty. "Fine, I will walk you back."

They made their way back up to the camp in the dark. They stayed on the outskirts until she reached her bedroll beside Mikhaul, so that Kili wouldn't lose his night vision to the firelight. When they got there, Kili pulled her in for one last kiss before releasing her. She was reveling in the thrill of what just happened, her heart was still racing a mile a minute, and a warm flush graced her cheeks. She just had to reach into her pack and give it to him. It could not be that hard, could it? Why was she so completely terrified? Never had she felt this kind of fear.

"Sleep well, My Lady." He could not help but stress the My. He wanted her to belong to him and him alone. He silently prayed that she would make an official move, that she would finally offer him her token. He wished he could just claim her, that Thorin was not with them so he could take her and make her his. Kili did not dare follow through on that thought, not with his uncle watching their every move.

"I won't, but thank you Kili." She said honestly, as she pulled away from him. She was still affected by the same dream, and she was still caught in its trap, but it was getting progressively better, which gave her some small hope.

"Kili, you are supposed to be on watch," Thorin's voice called out. Rylee swore she heard amusement in his voice. Camp was like a gossip mill and it made her wonder, just how many witnesses did they have? Was Thorin the only one watching them, or were there others watching from their bedrolls? Had they placed bets? She wouldn't doubt it. They were Dwarves after all.

"Hey, Rylee?" Bombur called from across the camp, his whisper carried easily over the night air.

"Yes, Bombur?" Rylee asked as she moved to sit on her bedroll. That made two witnesses.

"I made your tea. It is by the fire, staying warm." Bombur told her with a chuckle.

Rylee groaned into her hands, she forgot about her tea. She just hoped that it wasn't too overly steeped, "How long ago?"

"'Tis okay lass, tis only been five minutes," Dwalin said, softly, his voice carrying from just in front of her, to the left. Three witnesses. She sighed and got up, going over to the fire to pick up her tea. Using her sleeves she picked it up and sat down by the fire, if she touched it with her bare hands it would start to boil anew.

Dwalin watched as Rylee picked up the metal cup, using her sleeves, her hands, and the cloth of her sleeve brushed close to the flames. She didn't pull away as once again the flames rose to touch her. Several strands of her hair blew over her shoulder and into the fire and instead of catching and burning, they picked up the flame. Dwalin chuckled to himself. Born in Mahal's Forge and made of fire. He settled himself into his bedroll, as many times as he saw it, it still surprised him.

"Where's the clasp from your braid, Rylee?" Fili asked quietly, she looked up at him in surprise. She blushed deeply and tried to ignore him as she sipped her tea. His quiet teasing continued, "Does Kili have it? Did he just forget to give it back to you? Or did you braid his hair with it?"

"I didn't realize the status of my braid clasp was such an interesting topic of discussion, Fili." A few more chuckles rose from around them as Rylee avoided answering the question at all. It did, however, answer her question, apparently everyone was curious about her relationship with Kili.

"Perhaps I am just curious to know if I might have a little sister in the near future." Fili said quietly as he sat down beside her.

"Why, so you can attempt to throw rocks at her?" She teased him a small grin playing about her lips.

"Mahal, no! She throws them back." Fili scoffed bumping his shoulder against hers. Then he whispered, so lowly that she barely heard him, "Do you love him, Rylee? Is he your One?"

She turned and looked at the handsome blonde dwarf beside her. She studied him for a long moment. Holding her breath, she sat rigid as she thought about what she was about to admit, on a released breath she said, "Aye."

"That scares you?" Fili asked, watching her reaction. After over four weeks with the Company she was beginning to come out of her shell, starting to allow her cold façade to drop away. He knew that was Kili's doing.

"Aye, almost more than heights and nearly as much as spiders," Rylee whispered softly, before a shiver ran down her spine.

"But why? What is there to be afraid of?" Fili asked his eyebrows shot up as she named her two worst fears.

"It is new, and strange, it makes me feel exhilarated, and dizzy, and lighter than anything I have ever encountered in Middle-Earth," Rylee said, her voice was almost pained as she tried to describe her rampant emotions. "I am afraid of the fall, if he doesn't feel the same."

"He would be a fool not to, Rylee," Fili said bumping her shoulder again.

"You just say that so I don't throw more rocks back at you." Rylee smiled up at him. She knew she could ask Fili, what Kili thought about her, but somehow that just felt wrong. This was between her and Kili, she didn't want to use Fili as a middleman.

"You throw hard," Fili laughed at himself and at her, "and you do have exceptional aim. Which is what I don't understand about the bow?"

"You and me both, do you have any idea how frustrating it is to watch every arrow curve away from the target?" Rylee shook her head, a wry grin played about her lips. "Even Thorin and Mahal couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. I thought perhaps it was a flaw in the bow I was using and had Mahal test it. He found nothing, and I tried using his bow and still the arrows would veer right. I have a moment of Divine Inspiration to make my bow and still the arrows turn. To this day it doesn't matter what bow I use, the arrow turns."

"That seems oddly," Fili hesitated thinking of the word he wanted to use, "Magical?"

"Aye, some sort of Divine Trickery. Eru touched 'True' once and told me that I had to find the one who could teach me the way. Do you think that it is coincidence that the bow chose Kili?" Rylee pondered out loud. She was feeling pensive and thoughtful.

Fili looked at the thoughtful young Dwarrowdam beside him. He originally thought it was just luck that Kili was the one to catch her when she dropped in at Bilbo's Hobbit Hole, but her words made him wonder. She was dropped into the lap of her One, the bow responded to her One. Kili's dagger was a gift from Mahal, the same dagger that he used to stop a fall from atop a dragon, so he could ultimately kill it. Perhaps the pair was destined to meet each other. Was the bow a means to help Rylee lure her One to her? Though Rylee was stunningly beautiful, Kili was a notorious flirt. If they were still in Ered Luin, Kili would have given up on Rylee weeks ago, he would have called her a tease and walked away. He was also a stubborn, and dense fool at times, it would take something like a bow, or a dagger, to make him take her seriously.

"If you were to court, would you prefer First Age customs or our customs now?" Fili asked her suddenly, whispering again as if to keep a secret.

She looked at him, her eyebrow quirked in question, she whispered in return, "First Age, I suppose, considering I do not know your customs. All I know is that the female makes the first move." She paused for a long moment before she continued softly, "Being Mahal's daughter, I never thought to find my One. I was created to do quests, not fall in love. I keep apart from everyone, so to find my One, now, while on a quest, it is confusing. Kili is confusing."

"I will admit, Kili does love the chase, but in his defense, most Dwarrowdam's use him to get to me," Fili told her quietly, "The bloody cows seem to think we don't notice when they flirt with him to get my attention."

"Well, I cannot say anything about your cows, but I would think that it would be more refreshing for you, if a Dwarrowdam was either completely direct, or made you work for her. Actually you need someone who is both direct, and would make you work for her," Rylee smirked. Fili looked at her with surprise and blushed lightly. A wry grin brightened her face as she said, "You know, I was once told that I was as frigid as a sea cow in mid-winter."

Fili snorted and laughed loudly, "Who told you that? He must have been blind, and stupid. You are the warmest person I have met."

"Um, of course I am, I am made of fire," Rylee chuckled softly, "you can't get much warmer than that."

"No really, Rylee, even when you wear your Royal Façade," Fili shook his head with a grin. She was an odd female, but genuine and sweet and strong. Cold was not a term he would use to describe her, not after spending time with her. "Some people can't see past it, but you are sweet, kind hearted, and you have a great sense of humor. My grandmother Nisi would call you charismatic. You are a very warm person."

"You are most kind, good sir, you are definitely a progeny of Durin, golden tongue and all," Rylee offered a small smile in return. His compliments warmed her, she was not used to receiving them, but she could see that he was being genuinely honest.

"So, who was this idiotic fool who would call the Queen of Red Flame such blasphemous names?" Fili teased her.

"It was some Lord of Men, who thought that I should bow down at his feet and worship him, because he thought himself handsome and wealthy." Rylee confided softly, "He also told me I should stop acting like a cave troll, and take an ice axe to the chip on my shoulder, lest a cold drake use it as a perch. He was very fond of insults, but not very creative."

"I do not imagine that you were so polite as to ignore that slight." Fili looked shocked before it turned to anger at the man who would slur Rylee so rudely.

"Of course not," Rylee grinned in remembrance, "I told him if he wanted a warm bed partner he could go plow a Balrog in Angband and open his arse to Ancalagon. I warned him to turn out the lights, the moon, and the stars first, for no one wanted to look upon his flaccid chinned, beak nosed, rheumy eyed, rat face, while doing the deed with the likes of him. Not even one of Morgoth's creations. For good measure I repeated it in every language I know, just to make sure he understood me, as I bodily threw his uncomely arse out of my dining pavilion."

Fili laughed loudly at that, earning glares from a few startled members of the company as they woke to his chortles. "You are a sharp tongued she-devil. Remind me never to anger you, Rylee."

They sat quietly together while Rylee finished drinking her tea. She bid Fili goodnight, then stood and rinsed out the cup, before drying it and returning it to the supply bags. For a long moment Rylee looked out over the valley, searching, and seeking. The presence was gone and that bothered her. Mikhaul was sleeping peacefully so Rylee shook off the feeling of disquiet and walked back to her bedroll and climbed in. Hands on her axes, she drifted off to sleep.

Fili headed to his own bedroll shortly after, thinking that, indeed, Rylee was the perfect match for his brother. She had a sharp wit, good comebacks, and a sense of humor. She was his equal in skill on the battlefield, feisty and mischievous. He would bet that she was just as reckless as Kili too. If he was to choose a sister, it would be Rylee. Fili just hoped that his brother didn't mess it up.

Kili was trying to listen to the exchange, but they were whispering low and he could not make out the words. He watched his brother bump his shoulder against Rylee's and smiled, Fili admired her, he knew. When they talked together about her, Fili always spoke with respect. Fili laughed loudly at something Rylee told him and Kili could not help the small spark of jealousy. Then he relaxed, just by watching Fili with her, he knew that while his brother enjoyed her company, he held no interest for her otherwise.

Kili stood holding Rylee's hair clasp in his hands, twirling it through his fingers. It was a larger clasp, meant for an abundance of hair. He looked at the runes and engravings that were on it. They were old. Some of them were so old that he couldn't understand what they meant at all. There was both Khuzdul and Sindarin words. There were other glyphs that had no meaning to him at all whatsoever. Regardless of what it meant, the clasp was beautifully made.

Perhaps he was the wrong Dwarf for her. She should be interested in someone more fitting of her title and status, not the second in line. Aye he was a prince, but she was a queen. She should be with someone like Fili, not him. That thought made him clench his fists in anger, just as they did whenever he watched her interact with the other members of the Company. The clasp snapped closed in his hand and he swore as it pinched him.

Hair touching was a great honor. It was one of the few that survived from the First Age and was considered sacred. She gave him that gift tonight, even though he had been taking liberties for weeks. She already had that honor, several times she touched his face and the fringe of hair that constantly seemed to escape his clasp, but she was always hesitant. She never went further and he contemplated whether he should offer Rylee the same consideration as she gave him. Perhaps he should tell her or ask her to touch his hair. Exchanging braids was another ancient tradition, one that he never really thought that he would follow, and it was slowly being lost to exchanging simple personal items. Mikhaul promised him that if Rylee was interested then she would give him a token. Thus far she made no indication that she was interested in a courtship of any kind. Other than the hair touching, at least it was progress.

Gloin came up to relieve him from duty and Kili turned to go back to camp.

"You going to keep her clasp, lad? Or are you going to toy with it like you are her?" Gloin asked quietly.

"I don't want to toy with either," Kili said quietly in confession. "I just don't know how to court a Dwarrowdam from the First Age, and I don't think she knows our customs well enough to court me, either. Even if she did, I would likely mess it up."

"That's understandable," Gloin grinned at him. "When my Ami chose me, I was beside myself for weeks, terrified I might mess it up and chase her away."

Kili walked away from the titan haired dwarf and he pondered his words. At least Gloin and his wife had a clear set of rules to work with. He was dealing with a lass who was from a different Age, who played by different rules. This was why he was listening to advice of a horse. Courting Rylee according to what Mikhaul could remember of First Age customs. He was being as patient as he could be, showing her attention, trying to get to know her, asking her to spar with him, and to practice with him. Rylee was just adept at avoiding and evading him.

Ori was waking Bofur for his turn on watch with Gloin, as Kili made his way to his bedroll. He put his weapons near the top of his bedroll and settled in. He looked at Rylee, who was thrashing about, a frown marred her beautiful face, and her breaths were ragged and torn. It was the first time in days that she moved in her sleep. No longer entombed within her dream, but she was moving more than she ever had before. It was like she went from one extreme to the opposite. She was in the midst of yet another nightmare. A low whimper left her throat, tears ran from her closed eyes and she whispered a name, "Kili."

She pulled one of her axes and was about to swing, when he caught her arm, and pulled the weapon free of her clenched hand. Her eyes popped open, filled with terror and pain. She sat up just as he dropped the weapon back beside her bedroll and reached for her. "Are you okay Rylee?"

"No!" She cried suddenly, surprising him, looked up at him, and shook her head. For the first time, he saw fear in her eyes, true unbridled fear.

"Sh-sh-shhh, you are okay, Rylee. It's okay," He knelt in front of her and pulled her into his arms. Oblivious to the others that looked over at them, woken from their sleep by her sudden outburst. He ran his hands up and down her back, trying to offer her his comfort, "You woke on your own."

"The dream was different, Kili, I altered it and then -," she gasped clutching him against her. She was shaking like a leaf, as she tried to calm down. "Then it changed, worse, but normal."

"What do you mean, Rylee?" Kili whispered, her head was in the crook of his neck, her breath teased his flesh and made him burn. He held her closer, and ran his fingers through her hair. "What is a normal dream, for you?"

"Death," She said hoarsely, the word was choked as it sprang from her mouth. The images of Kili pierced by no less than three arrows and a sword wound flashed again over her eyes. She clung to him, needing to feel him alive and warm against her. She whispered again, "I dream of death."

"Whose death?" Kili asked as a chill ran up his spine. She was in his lap, her arms holding him close, her head nestled beneath his chin. It was like she belonged there, she fit against him so perfectly. He just kept rubbing her back, offering her all the comfort that he could.

"Everyone's. The ones that were killed in past battles, and the battles that are yet to come." Rylee whispered softly, she was calming down and her voice was so soft that it barely carried at all, "The whole Company. Thorin's, Fili's, Gandalf's, yours, mine. I see everyone I love die, violently, horribly, every bloody night. I don't know how to stop it."

"How do you know you are meant to stop it?" Kili whispered as he held her in his arms. He eased down onto her bedroll, shifting them both so that they were lying together on the thickly quilted blanket, his head on her pillow. He was fascinated as he felt her hand under his shoulder, instinctively reaching for the handle of her axe as she dropped her head to his shoulder. She curled against him.

"Change the Hands of Fate." Rylee whispered softly, she buried her head into his collar, relishing in the comfort she found there. She was aware of his body beside hers, holding her against his chest. For the first time in forever she almost felt safe. "Something is to happen that even the Valar are not happy about, it is my destiny to stop it from happening."

"You are certain it is one of us?" Kili asked her gently, he pulled her hair back, twining his fingers in it, combing through the thick waves. Her sigh of contentment drove him to continue brushing through the fiery strands that spilled around her.

"Aye," Her voice was so far away, he could barely hear her, "This Company is like family to me. I could not bear it, to lose anyone. It would kill me, to lose you, Kili."

"You will not lose me, Rylee." Kili told her soothingly. Fili brought over his blankets, and with his brother's help, they arranged the blankets around them. Within moments they heard her soft even breaths as she returned to sleep, still clinging tightly to him.

Kili contemplated his relationship with Rylee. Was he certain that this was what he really wanted? Was he willing and ready to give up flirting and lust driven nights, just for the hand of one maid? He had been asking himself these questions for weeks, and didn't know what to do with the emotions that were running amok!

"If you hurt her Kili, I will tear you apart myself," Fili looked at Kili with a dark glare. He could see the questions behind those dark brown eyes. Fili returned to his bedroll watching his brother carefully, he wanted to protect Rylee, even if it was from his own reckless little brother. Rylee was Kili's perfect match, but if his little brother botched it up again, Fili vowed he would beat his brother senseless.

"Why would you say that? I have been trying to court her for weeks. You know this! I would never hurt her!" Kili protested quietly, defying even his own indecisiveness. He instinctively held her closer against him as he looked at his brother, wondering what the hell he did to earn that look. He felt a little hurt that Fili would think him so callous.

"You already have hurt her once," Fili told him, his usually bright eyes darkened with anger, "and do not forget I have seen you in action. You are a notorious flirt. How many lovers have you taken back at Ered Luin? You string them along until they find out about each other."

"None of them care for me, Fili, and you know it, other than the fact that I am your brother. They see the shortened beard and assume that I am the lesser of the princes, each and every one of them settles for me because they cannot have you," Kili shot back angrily. "Rylee likes me, for being me. Why must you stand in my way?"

"I would never stand in your way. I am just saying that you cannot do that to Rylee. She is innocent." Fili said softly in the fading firelight, he looked across the way at the small form in his brother's arms. "She cares for you, nadad, so do not hurt her."

"I-I don't just want to court her, Fili, I want to put my braid in her hair," Kili confessed as he held Rylee's sleeping form against him. Even with her just sleeping beside him, he felt the stirrings of this very desire. "I want to claim her."

"That's new," Fili blinked at his brother. Kili never wanted someone to the point of wanting to braid in their hair. He never touched hair. He never allowed another to touch his. It was only ever family. He knew about only two incidents where Rylee touched him, on the first night she arrived and the night of the bandits and blood magic, neither time was meant in a way of courting. "Have you let her-? On purpose?"

"Her fingers are divine, her touch is soft, gentle, I want her to- I want her to touch, braid, comb and play. I try to deny it, but -," Kili whispered softly as his own fingers tangled in the maid's hair. He looked down at Rylee, peacefully asleep in his arms. He felt only contentment and something beyond meaning, as she curled around him, still clutching him to her. "What is wrong with me Fili?"

Fili chuckled softly, he would not tell Kili that Rylee was his One. He knew his brother, and that would only make him run in the opposite direction. "I am sure you will figure it out, nadad. Sleep now, I will take her watch."

Kili watched Rylee sleeping peacefully in his arms and something twisted inside of him. When he first met her, he was certain that it was only lust, now he was not so sure. Fili was right, he had several lovers over the past few years, but never anyone serious and while lust was not a stranger to him, he wanted Rylee badly. There was just something about her that held him back. Taking Rylee as a lover would be very serious indeed. She was pure and innocent, something ethereal and special. She was his Mithril Queen, he wanted to cherish her. She would fade if she fell for him, and the idea of her dying, the idea of her leaving him, for any reason, it killed him.

Kili dropped his head to her pillow and curled into Rylee. Feeling her against him, feeling her snuggle into him for comfort and protection in the night did something to him. It was more than lust, he wanted her to be his, he wanted to give her a family, a home, a hearth fire, and he wanted to grow old with her. She might be a War Maiden and a Dragon Slayer, she might never need him to protect her from danger, but he could offer her this. Aye he would give up every lustful night in Ered Luin if he could have Rylee like this every night. He felt better, being able to hold her made him feel content and happy. 'This night, is one I will cherish,' he thought as he let himself drift into sleep.

* * *

><p>She woke again to the deaths of the Company flashing before her eyes. Her eyes opened in terror, and she blinked away the images. She focused on a familiar blue tunic, and the familiar scent of the dwarf male holding her against him. Warmth curled through her, and her arms tightened around him momentarily. She remembered her nightmare and him coming to her. She groaned quietly as she realized that she fell asleep in his embrace. She could not be doing this! She should not be allowing her desire for her One to rule her mind. What the hell was she doing? She felt the slow and steady pressure of his hand as he gently rubbed her back and she bit her bottom lip as she considered this new intimacy between them.<p>

"Keep it up and I am going to kiss you again," Kili whispered in her ear. He woke the moment she started thrashing, rubbing her back before she even opened her eyes, stilling her movements. He could see the moment that her fear turned into confused realization, and finally to uncertainty. He wanted there to be no doubts that he wanted her to be in his arms, that this was where she belonged.

"Oh!" she gasped, startled, she looked up at him. His eyes darkened with some emotion she didn't quite understand, but it made heat coil within her belly in response. Within seconds she found her hand threaded with his as he rolled slightly on top of her. His thigh was pressed between her legs and her hips rolled up against him instinctively, the pressure there was intense, and she gasped in reaction. Her heart raced as she looked up at him. He caught her lips in a fierce kiss and the heat spread instantly to every part of her body. His thigh pressed into her groin, electric fire spread from her center and she rocked against him again and moaned into his mouth. When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard.

"Kili," Rylee whispered as she looked up into his dark fathomless eyes, she knew only one thing. She needed him. She tangled her free hand in the hair at his nape and pulled him back down for another kiss. This time it was her teeth biting his lip, her tongue seeking his, twining, dancing and stroking. Pulling her hand from his, she explored his well muscled arms and wide shoulders, down his torso over his chest and abs to grip his hips. His thigh pressed against her again, and she jerked underneath him in surprise at the intensity of the contact, breaking the kiss.

His heart was pounding in his chest as he surveyed his affect on her. Her fiery hair spread around them, her stormy grey eyes, darkened with desire, her lips were pink and plump from his kisses. His need for her was like a raging inferno. He closed his eyes for a long moment, trying to rein in his control. Every one of her reactions to his advances were positive, the way she shivered when he whispered to her, the way her body arched into his when he touched her. She was so responsive to him. He wanted her. In every way he wanted her. Just not like this, with the watchful eyes of the Company and Thorin upon them. He eased up onto his elbows, making space between them, and she whimpered almost as though she was in pain.

He smirked at her and whispered, "I would keep you here all day, if I could, love, but it is time to get up. Dawn has arrived."

"But I was to have last watch!" Rylee's hushed voice was frantic as her eyes widened with shock before it fell with shame. She whispered hoarsely, "I was to have last watch with Thorin. He is going to kill me."

"Nay, love, if he kills anyone, it'll be me," Kili assured her as he realized that he was still holding her intimately under him. "I mean it, Rylee. I was the one sleeping in your bedroll. You have done nothing wrong."

Rylee's blushed furiously at his words, her eyes were wide and her breath stalled as she looked up at him. She forcibly pushed Kili off of her and sat up, roughly combing through her hair and straightening her clothes, as she did every morning. Kili admired her as her hands swept over her curves. Damn, she was strong! That thought led to Kili wondering who would win in a wrestling match, which turned to contemplations of something entirely more interesting. Then he realized that all those times she moved to get out of his lap or pull out of his embrace and did not, she could have, and chose not to. From the first day, she could have pushed him away from her and she did not. She wanted him. She wanted him, like he wanted her! So why the hell had she not made a move?

"Why did no one wake me? I was to have last watch," Rylee asked Thorin in frustration. He was sitting against the same boulder as he had been the night before, a dark hooded expression on his face. Whatever he was thinking, he was keeping it locked far away.

"Fili took it so you could sleep. You get little enough as it is." Thorin said as he watched Rylee jump to her feet and leave his nephew behind in the bedroll watching after her.

Rylee stormed away, helping the others tear down the camp and put things away into their crates, rolls, bags and packs. When she was finally safe on the far side of the camp she allowed herself to look back at Kili, still sitting on her bedroll, their blankets pushed down to his waist. If only she had the courage to ask him. The token was ready, all she had to do was ask.

Thorin was carefully watching the pair as they continued their strange courtship. Rylee was carefully watchful of Kili, barely concealed longing lit the depths of her grey eyes. The white sparks always seemed brighter when she was beside Kili. Kili's eyes were hungrily following Rylee's movements as she moved about the camp. Thorin even noticed the scowl that crossed Kili's face as he watched her interact with the other males in the Company. The lad was falling hard for her, but did he realize yet that she was his One? Thorin glowered at him, "You either court Rylee properly or not at all Kili. She is not some wench to be trifled with."

"I am aware of this, Uncle." Kili said peevishly as he rose and started packing up the bedrolls. He was just going about it differently than normal. It was supposed to be her move, and he was trying to be patient, but the temptation she offered made waiting increasingly difficult. Would she give him her token? He looked up at Rylee across the camp and the many braids in her hair. Would she accept his clasp? Would she allow his braid? Even just a courting braid, would she allow it? Would she let him mark her as his?

"Are you? I will not have you hurting her," Thorin asked him darkly. He didn't know what kind of courting rituals the pair was doing. It was like watching some intricate dance, each one moving either toward or away from the other, and then both coming back together to perform a new step.

Kili looked at his Uncle for a long moment. Thorin was Rylee's Guardian since she was still considered underage. Would Thorin even allow him to court her? Damn it, he hadn't even asked Thorin for permission to court her yet! No wonder Thorin was like a bear with a bee in his bonnet. Would Thorin accept her as a suitable potential candidate for a prince of Durin? Was he a suitable candidate for a Queen from the First Age? Would he bless a courting braid? He was suddenly uncertain of everything. Kili's voice was low as he asked, "May I have your permission to court Rylee, Thorin?"

"Aye, Kili, you may court her," Thorin said satisfied that Kili was at least acknowledging some of the courting rituals that were in place for this Age. He left Kili to move on to other tasks. The first of which was to break up the camp and prepare to get back on the trail. He looked up at the darkening sky. It was going to rain, and he was hoping to outrun it. It didn't take long to tear down the camp and head out.


	15. Down By The River

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 15

Down By the River

May 24

It was raining. Mikhaul hated the rain, hated running in the rain, so they stayed with the group. She and Mikhaul were only lucky because her heavy fur cloak provided both of them some protection from the heavy downpour. Earlier that morning when she felt the first drops she turned the thick pelt inside out so that the fur side was facing out and the fine leather faced inwards.

"What are you doing Lass? You are going to ruin the fur!" Bofur exclaimed in shock as Rylee secured the fur around her and draped it over herself and Mikhaul.

"Oh, I have my doubts about that, Bofur," Rylee grinned cheekily, "Considering all that it has been through, I have my doubts that a little rain will do it any harm."

"But the rain will loosen the follicles and the hair will fall out." Bofur argued with her, his expression was pained as he looked at the dampened black fur.

"This is Werewolf fur, it is naturally waterproof, and Mahal made it fireproof too. It has survived all of my deaths, which included an ocean if you recall, and not a bit of damage." Rylee chided him. She grinned at him, and he quirked a brow at her in return.

"Rylee, where does the name Wolfsong come from? Is it from your fur?" Ori asked, naming one of her titles given to her by the enemy.

"No Ori. The bat lady, Thuringwethil, called me that." Rylee smiled at the memory of her hunt with Huan the Wolfhound. Ori's brow furrowed in confusion, and Rylee asked in surprise, "You have never heard of Thuringwethil the Vampire?"

"I have heard of Vampires, but the tales are more like lore in Dwarven culture," Ori said softly, she could see that he was itching to pull out his journal.

_"It happened when I was around thirty years old. I was finally permitted to return to Middle-Earth for a hunt, it was a training exercise more than anything. I was to help Huan the__ Wolfhound and __Lúthien__ rescue __Lúthien__'s beloved, Beren, from the clutches of Sauron. As we approached the gates __Sauron sent all of the werewolves after us one by one, __Huan __and I killed them all. Finally, Sauron sent out The Father of Werewolves, Draugluin, and his Vampire guardian. While Huan fought Draugluin, I fought against Thuringwethil. She called me Wolfsong because of the way I communicated to Huan."_ Rylee told them her story. Several of the dwarves maneuvered their ponies so they could be within earshot, including Fili and Kili. _"Thuringwithil was an abnormally tall woman, with sharp teeth that she used to eat mortal flesh. She had great bat-like wings with fingers and long iron claws. Terrifying creature she was and brutal to fight. Her ability to take to air and change from human to creature form was equal only to that of the other Maiar. I was using a long sword at the time. I waited for her to swoop down to try to claw at me. After the third pass, I timed it perfectly, and I gutted her with the sharp blade."_

_"Draugluin was mortally wounded by Huan, and the coward returned to his master, to die at his feet. Sauron changed his form into a werewolf and attacked Huan and I. We were able to subdue him, but at the last moment the bloody fiend turned himself into a vampire and flew away. I remained only long enough to skin Thuringwethil and Draugluin, and give the pelts to Huan so they could be used later on. This was the point of the hunt, retrieving the skins."_ Rylee told them all, her mind was far in the past as she told her tale, _"I didn't stay for the rest, there was no need, and I had promised to return to Aman once my training mission was complete. I was told later that __Lúthien__ was able to rescue Beren and that by using the __skins I gave to Huan, Beren and __Lúthien__ were able to enter Angband and win one of the Silmaril from Morgoth. But Beren lost his hand, and the Silmaril, to the most terrifying of all werewolves, Carcharoth."_

_"Beren, Huan, and The Elves of Doriath went after Carcharoth. Huan then killed the monster, fulfilling an ancient prophesy that he would die by the wounds of the most powerful werewolf in creation. Both Beren and Huan were mortally wounded during the fight. When they cut Carcharoth open they found the Silmaril, still in Beren's hand. After Beren died, __Lúthien__ succumbed to fading and died of grief. They met one last time in Aman, in the Halls of Mandos where Beren awaited her. __Every being in Aman heard the lamenting song of __Lúthien__ as it cascaded over the land. A song so pure, blending the sorrows of both Men and Elves, it was trapped in the hearts of all who heard it, including myself. I was training with Manwë when Mandos came to him for advice. I was there when Ilúvatar gave __Lúthien__ her choices. To live in forgetful bliss in Valinor, or to take up life once again as a Mortal, alongside Beren, and later die a mortal's death."_ Rylee's voice was wistful as she told the end of the tale, she thought of her friends who were now long gone from the world. _"I never saw them again, when I came to Middle-Earth in my first life, I was told they were in Tol Galen. It was __Lúthien__'s father, Thingol, who helped me gather information on the whereabouts of Glaurung."_

"Was that your hunt to prove Battle Ready?" Kili asked her softly. Thirty years old was about the age that a Dwarven warrior could be proven battle ready, or be worthy of going hunting. At around fourty a Dwarf grew into their adult appearance and could start taking on jobs and becoming apprentices. At seventy five Dwarves were considered adults. Kili was seventy seven, Fili was eighty two, and Ori was seventy nine, though considered quite young they were all adults. Rylee was seventy two, which was why she needed to be accompanied by Thorin.

"No, I was proven Battle Ready several years before," Rylee told them, she sighed and shook her head slowly, "That is one story I will not tell. I am not ready yet."

Rylee fell into silence and the dwarves moved away, realizing that she was truly done with her tale. Huan's death was one of the first she mourned upon arriving in Middle-Earth, many others followed. Rylee's thoughts remained on the cursed beasts. She and Huan decimated the werewolves, there were so few left to roam the wilds. If they killed all of the werewolves in the First Age, why was she finding them again now? Unless Sauron was manipulating the fëar of Orcs, and creating more of the overlarge wolves, they should all be long dead. Dread filled her as she thought about that. How many more would she encounter?

They rode quietly for several minutes before Bifur pulled on her sleeve and asked her in Iglishmek, "When are you going to give Kili your courting bead?"

Rylee blinked at him for a long moment, being pulled so abruptly from her thoughts and memories. She looked at the pair of cousins riding beside her. Her brow furrowed, she looked ahead and found Kili riding with Fili several mounts ahead of them.

"Is that how it works?" Rylee asked quietly, looking back into the dark eyes of Bifur. He grunted in response, as though she should know this already.

"Aye lass, courting bead, courting braid, then a betrothal braid, and so on," Bofur explained quietly, he was speaking lowly so his voice would not carry through the rain. "Is it not what you are used to?"

"Oh, Nay, Master Bofur," Rylee shook her head and met each of their eyes. "My customs are different. The Dwarf would show his love that he was worthy of marriage first, by showing his strength and prowess in battle, and spending time with her, and being attentive. Then when he is ready he gives his love a significant courting gift, one that symbolizes what she means to him, and how well he will care for her. If she accepts his suit, and they find that they are compatible, she will ask him to exchange courting braids. Then, when they feel that they are ready, they will marry."

"So are you waiting for him to make a move?" Bombur asked from behind her, startling Rylee. She looked back at the heavy Dwarf, and he smiled sheepishly at her. "Or are you going to try our customs?"

"Um, I have a feeling that if Kili and I court, it will be by our own rules." Rylee said quietly in contemplation, thinking of the token in her bag. It signified what he meant to her. It was definitely no courting bead, which she would keep for later, when she was certain that he loved her. She was lucky that Oropher and Thranduil did not know that she carried a courting bead. They would have taken it if they knew about it, and she would be bound to Thranduil, and he to her, regardless of new traditions or laws.

"You have already broken most of the rules lass, what are a few more?" Bofur said with a grin and a wink.

Rylee chuckled and the conversation died, the ponies falling back into a single line formation. They all fell into their own thoughts and quiet contemplations. Rylee thought again about the tale she told. She was deeply inspired by Lúthien's love for Beren, choosing a life with him, over eternal bliss with the Valar. In honor of their love Rylee started to sing the song of Lúthien, the same song that Lúthien sang in the halls of Mandos, the song that, for a brief moment, caused him to pity. She followed it by a song she learned from Nessa about the dance of life. She wondered if they could hear her, and she wondered if they cared that she missed them.

The song about life turned her mind once again to the history of the world, and all that she wanted to know. She would need to spend a great deal of time with Gandalf or someone with the knowledge of the world in order to catch up to where she needed to be in her knowledge of history. She and Mikhaul moved up beside Gandalf and behind them was Bilbo.

"Gandalf, I have more questions," Rylee said as they settled in just beside him on the trail.

"You seem to have more and more every day, my dear," Gandalf said with a smirk. She was starting to find her curiosity. He heard her singing the Lay of Lúthien, and he knew that her mind was far in the past. Her mind was on her friends.

"Can you tell me more of Elrond, does he still reside in Imladris?" Rylee inquired softly.

"I would imagine so, considering Elrond founded it during the Second Age," Gandalf smiled at her, "Others know it as Rivendell."

"Rivendell, Imladris, by the name I assume it is located in a ravine in the mountains. Will we be going there?" Rylee asked, not knowing were this Imladris was located, though she did recall seeing a Rivendell on a map of Middle-Earth at Bilbo's house. She only knew that it was to the East of the Shire.

"Not if Thorin can help it," Gandalf scoffed quietly, "He holds no love for Elves. It does not seem to matter that Elrond will have answers to the questions that he has. It would be the perfect place for you to meet Saruman."

"Well then I hope that we can change his mind, Gandalf," Rylee said quietly as she contemplated this new information, "I would love to see Elrond again. Do you recall meeting Elros and Elrond on the road and convincing them to join Gil-galad? We often fought together, trained together, sparred together. They offered me sanctuary from Oropher and Thranduil, whenever I could escape. They had a lovely maid, Rohinna, she would lie through her teeth to keep them from finding me."

"Yes, I do remember those days," Gandalf said with a grin, remembering the twins and how they often teased Rylee, and followed her into battle, and the young elf maid that was part of the group that helped Rylee delay her marriage for four years.

"Does Galadriel live?" Rylee whispered softly, her heart pounding in her chest. She was one of her dearest friends, one of the few friends that survived all of her quests. They got into such mischief together (hunting trips that turned into mud baths, ale drinking competitions, belching contests), none greater than the events of the day they met.

"Aye, she is well, Rylee," Gandalf gave Rylee a small smile, "She resides in Lothlórien with Celeborn."

"According to the map on Bilbo's wall, we will not be passing through there, will we?" Rylee asked quietly. If Thorin's anger towards Elves kept him from Elrond, a half Elf, then he certainly would never want to venture closer to a true Elf. Nay, he would not want to meet Lady Galadriel, which was a pity, for she was true beauty in body, mind, and spirit.

"No, I think not," Gandalf said with a small smirk, and Rylee knew that her supposition was correct.

"Is Fleet Took related to Bilbo somehow?" Rylee asked suddenly as her mind suddenly made an odd connection. The small black haired hobbit from her flashes of memory, reminded her of Fleet Took, an Elf that she knew in the First Age. He was there for all three of her quests, one of her longest and most loyal friends. But Bilbo said that his mother was a Took. Took was an ancient Elf name, was it possible that Fleet met or married a Hobbit sometime during his life?

"I do not know, Rylee," Gandalf said in surprise, he could see her thinking, trying to puzzle out her thoughts behind those electric grey eyes. "Where did that thought come from?"

"I don't know, Gandalf, but somehow it fits," Rylee said as she played with Mikhaul's braids. "Somehow in my mind, there is a connection, there are images that pop up now and then, and I think that I know, or remember something. Then in a blink it is gone. I don't like having these gaps, Gandalf, I feel like I am missing some very important things."

They both dropped into thoughts of their own. It continued to rain, making the trail muddy, and the Company weary. They were not much for company or entertainment. Mikhaul was bored and Rylee was lost in her own mind thinking. She was startled out of her thoughts when Dori asked, "Here, Mister Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?"

Rylee snorted softly, and Mikhaul did the same. Both of them remembered a similar conversation a friend of theirs had with the Maia in her first life. It was before they entered the forests of Doriath to meet Thingol. She and Olorin met up with Fleet Took, on their way through the forest. Fleet became their guide, and asked Olorin the same question. He got a slightly different answer.

"It is raining Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done." Gandalf told him, Rylee nearly laughed out loud at the annoyance on his face. "If you wish to change the weather of the world you will have to find yourself another wizard."

"The last time you answered that, you told Fleet that he should look to the Valar for assistance with the rain, since there was nothing wrong with getting a little water in his britches." Mikhaul mused into their minds, making the wizard laugh.

"And are there any?" Bilbo asked. He was always so curious about everything. Rylee, too, was interested in the answer. Other than Saruman, or the Maia she remembered as Curumo, she wondered if she knew the others that came to Middle-Earth to be wizards. Who were the other three?

"What?" Gandalf said startled from his amused chuckle. Rylee realized that Mikhaul had distracted him with her comment and grinned.

"Other wizards," Bilbo clarified as they went along.

"Yes, keep up, Gandalf," Rylee teased him, shooting him a smirk. He glared back at her, making her laugh. Bilbo and Dori had no idea that Mikhaul had distracted the Grey Wizard.

"There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman the White." Gandalf told them. He met Rylee's eyes as he said this, recalling their conversation several days before. "Then there are the two blue wizards, you know I have quite forgotten their names." Gandalf said, his voice dropping off as he thought about who they could be. "I am certain you would know them, Rylee, but for the life of me, I cannot recall-."

"And who is the fifth?" Bilbo interrupted, since Gandalf was obviously not telling them about the blue wizards. He trod along on the back of his pony. He looked from Rylee to Gandalf, they had such an odd history between the two of them.

"That would be Radagast the Brown, Rylee knows him as Aiwendil." Gandalf said with a twinkle in his eye, Rylee caught it and grinned. He was a wonderfully eccentric Maia. She used to chase after the great butterflies, and watch the fantastic creatures in Yavanna's pastures and Aiwendil would chase her down to try to stop her. He taught her a great many things about edible plants that did not need to be cooked. He absolutely adored Mikhaul, and the Great Mare felt the same about the Maia.

"Is he a great wizard?" Bilbo inquired then he paused for a moment before taking Gandalf aback with his follow up question. "Or is he more like you?"

Rylee nearly fell of her horse, as she choked on a laugh, Mikhaul too was snorting with amusement at the wizard's expense. Gandalf's face was priceless as he first shot her a look and then turned back to answer the Hobbit. "I think he is a very great wizard, in his own way, he's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for there is always evil that looks to find a foothold in this world."

"Unfortunately, that is true, evil seeks out the easiest of paths," Rylee agreed as her mirth wore away. "Do you think we will see him?"

"Who, Radagast?" Gandalf said with an odd look of surprise, "it is doubtful, he doesn't really leave the sanctuary of the forest anymore. Why do you ask?"

"It would be nice to see him, I remember him fondly," Rylee said looking out into the damp forest before turning her face up to the rain, letting it fall on her cheeks and eyelids. When Yavanna was busy doing other things, they would often spend time with Aiwendil instead. "He always has the best horse treats for Mikhaul."

"You laugh at me, and remember Radagast fondly," Gandalf looked at her unsure whether to feel insulted or not.

"You tell me that I am too modest, when you are the worst culprit of all. Gandalf you are a wonderful Maia, the wisest I have ever met. I can only imagine your success as a wizard," She told her friend meeting his eyes with a hard look of her own, daring him to argue with her. He looked annoyed, but said nothing.

"Rylee, there is someone ahead who would like to see you," Mikhaul told her, she was being a bit cryptic, but her voice was relaxed and Rylee wondered who would possibly be looking for her, "do you think we could go for a bit?"

"I don't see why not. Let's go tell Thorin," Rylee nodded feeling more than a little curious about who would be requesting to see her. With that, she and Mikhaul slowed and fell back to Thorin's side, "I am going ahead a bit, Mikhaul and I need a bit of space. We will find you later."

"We may have to go off trail to find a camp in this rain. How will you find us lass? If we make camp, you won't know where we are." Thorin shot her a concerned look.

"Ugshar, you ask me that same question every time we leave, Mikhaul can find you as she always finds me. I will be alright Thorin." Rylee told him with a pointed look. "Besides, we will not be going that far ahead."

"I don't have any doubts about that, Rylee," Thorin said shooting his student a hard glance. She was playing with Mikhaul's braids in her lap, and not paying any attention to the road. "It is my nephew I am concerned about, he has become protective of you."

"And I of him," Rylee sighed in frustration, "I don't know what I am thinking anymore. I am at a loss as to what is going on in my own mind. He is my One, but I don't know if he truly cares for me, so do I continue to push him away or not? Do I accept his courtship, if it is one, and give him the Token I made or do I not? I am supposed to be on a quest, which I don't even know if I will survive, so do I give in to love and risk hurting him?" She saw Thorin about to speak and cut in, "Ah! Don't answer those! I need a week spent in a forge!"

"You need what?" Thorin asked taken aback. He looked at her oddly, wondering where such odd thoughts were coming from, and why she would share them with him.

"Working with metal, making weapons, it calms my mind, I think better when I am going through the motions of creation." Rylee confessed to him. She didn't really know why she was confiding in him, she just felt comfortable enough to tell him. "The magic comes unimpeded and once the weapon is made, there is a moment of clarity and I need that."

"You have become a complex woman, Rylee Emitheral." Thorin said shaking his head at her. He purposely ignored the word magic in order to keep the peace between them.

"Not really, I like making weapons, I like fighting, and I like music and dancing," Rylee grinned as she thought about dancing. It wasn't a normal kind of dancing, but it was hers.

"Dancing? I thought you hated dancing," Thorin was caught off guard by this. He remembered Vala Nessa trying to teach her the court dances and she complained the entire time that they were dull and boring and pointless. It was too feminine a pastime for a girl who avoided anything close to domestication. There was a mischievous look on her face, as she met his eyes, a small grin played at her mouth. It was the girl he remembered, the one who was always up for trouble.

"Aye, dancing, apparently it comes in handy on the battlefield, who knew?" Rylee grinned, white fire lit her eyes and Thorin smirked back. Then she sobered and looked ahead at the trail, "Now, I need to go ahead. I just need some time to myself, to sort through some things."

"I understand. We will see you later, take care Rylee." Thorin told her. From what she said earlier, she did have a great deal to sort through, and if he were to give her advice, he would tell her to follow her heart. Obviously she was not interested in getting advice, as she told him not to answer her questions. She would just have to figure it out on her own.

"Wait, Thorin?" Rylee asked quietly as Mikhaul pranced beneath her, ready to be off. Thorin looked up at her in askance, "If I were to give Kili a token, would you bless it? May I court him?"

He was completely dumbfounded for a moment as he processed her question. She was asking to court his nephew? She was reversing the First Age customs and asking permission to give Kili a token. "Do you have the token?"

Rylee reached behind her and pulled the leather wrapped token out of the bag and handed it to Thorin. He looked back to see where Kili was, and kept it close to his body to keep it from his nephew's view. He unwrapped the object and looked at the black iron cuff in his hands. He looked up at Rylee in surprise, "Is this-."

"Aye Thorin, it was fashioned to signify something meaningful between us," Rylee nodded, a blush was spreading across her cheeks.

"When will you ask him?" Thorin inquired his voice low and almost inaudible, but Rylee picked it up over the fall of the rain.

"When I gather my courage to do so," Rylee admitted looking shamefaced down at her hands.

"You have my blessing, Rylee," Thorin told her, bringing the token to his lips to kiss it. He wrapped it back into the leather and handed it back to Rylee. He caught her hand as she reached over to take it from him, "You honor our family by offering your suit, Rylee Emitheral, we would be proud to have you as one of our own."

"Thank you Thorin Oakenshield, for your blessing and your acceptance," Rylee whispered, she looked up and met his eyes, "I am humbled by your words. I – I need to go now, I need to think about things."

"As you will, Mahalul," Thorin nodded his eyes glimmered with something Rylee could not name, and once again he told her, "Take care, Rylee."

"I always do!" Rylee called over her shoulder as Mikhaul jumped into a full gallop. Thorin watched as the pair raced away. They were so quick that there was no way any of their party could catch them if they tried, which eased his mind as it turned to his nephew, who was riding up alongside him as Rylee disappeared from view.

"Where is she off to?" Kili asked joining him, his concerned eyes looking deeply into the dark rainy trail where she departed.

"I imagine that she is scouting ahead, like she often does," Thorin told his nephew, with a small knowing smile, "We will find her later. Do not worry, Kili."

…

"So who wants to see me, Mikhaul," Rylee asked as they came upon a large river with a sturdy stone bridge over it. Rylee's keen eyes searched for someone she knew, then she saw the form rising from the quickly flowing waters, "Ulmo! You are such a sight for sore eyes. I have not seen you since the Dragon of Gondolin."

"Well met Rylee! You may not have seen me, but I have seen you," Ulmo smirked at her, "You were quite a sight a couple of weeks ago swimming out of that slough, I see you have not forgotten your lessons."

"Of course not, you are a wonderful teacher," Rylee said as she blushed, "So, you saw the slough incident?"

"I did, it is not the first time you have gotten out of a mess, I do recall that you helped a friend of yours out of a muddy situation during your first quest," Ulmo said with a smile of remembrance, "you learned your grace from her, there was a time when you would have reacted quite differently to being in that slough."

"She would be highly amused to hear that you witnessed that," Rylee laughed thinking about her dear friend covered head to toe in mud after a sudden tumble down a slippery slope while hunting giving both of them quite a scare. While Galadriel struggled to get out of the puddle, Rylee sat on the edge of the puddle and shook her head at the elleth. After the Elf maid recovered from her surprise she sat in that puddle grinning up at Rylee, a mischievous smile on her face. "She taught me a great deal about being graceful in the face of unfortunate accidents. Do you recall how she spent an hour trying to decide if she enjoyed the feel of mud between her toes? She spent nearly an hour walking around in it, humming and hawing, it was a week before she finally told me that mud felt oddly nice between her toes."

"I recall her trying to pull you in, and instead you pulled her out. Her amusement at seeing her reflection afterwards threw you for a loop," Ulmo laughed at her, "You may have learned to be graceful under pressure, but you are still deeply opposed to getting dirty."

"You are quite correct, Ulmo, I could not fathom why she thought it funny, being covered head to toe in filth, but her laughter is contagious. After a few battles I found that mud is not so terrible, when there are worse things to be covered in." Rylee smiled looking at the Vala of Water and Rivers. "So, other than the honor and joy of seeing you, what is the purpose of this visit?"

"I wanted to thank you for relocating Bob," Ulmo told her gently. Rylee went still and looked up at Ulmo in surprise, "he was quite unhappy in that slough, it was not a good home for him. Yavanna says he has found a mate, and is quite happy, now that he is at the creek."

"You have spoken to Yavanna?" Rylee asked tentatively, she was surprised. Ulmo preferred to travel and live within the bodies of water in Middle-Earth, rather than returning to Aman with the other Valar.

"Of course, Rylee, she does have creatures in the sea, as you well know." He said softly, "She is proud of you and told me to tell you that your offerings are not unnoticed. She and Nienna are on speaking terms again because of them. They have been since the first seedling."

"Do you think they will ever forgive me, Ulmo?" Rylee whispered her heart breaking a little. She planted her first seed in Doriath, in her first life.

"It is you who must forgive yourself Rylee," Ulmo admonished her, "I told you this when I found you in the ocean. Now tell me of your quest, tell me everything."

…..

Conversations were minimal and the ride was boring through the densely treed areas. All day long it poured, and it was deep into the afternoon before they came across Rylee and Mikhaul. They were waiting by a massive stone bridge watching the river as it tumbled underneath. Mikhaul was grazing by herself just off of the road, while Rylee stood on the middle of the bridge looking into the raging waters. She looked reflective and lost in thought. Gandalf greeted her and she nodded in return.

Kili wondered what it was that had her thinking so hard. He was about to ask her when Bilbo beat him to it. "Are you alright Rylee?"

"I am wonderful, Bilbo, thank you for asking," Rylee smiled up at him as he passed her by. Ulmo left only moments before, and she still felt rather emotional after his surprise visit. She was happier, having heard news of home, and being able to tell her uncle of her adventures.

"You're not thinking of jumping in are you?" Oin asked her as he rode by.

"Not today, Oin, maybe some other time." Rylee told him, her face perfectly straight as she watched as several large logs slammed against the moorings, shaking the bridge beneath them, "Though I could use a bath."

"Did you not just have one a few days ago, Lass?" Gloin teased her about her penchant for constant bathing.

"A few too many days ago, Gloin," Rylee told him her face turned to a look of disgust.

"Gloin, Ladies are not meant to smell like onions and cooked cabbage," Dori chided him with a small smirk.

"Not unless they are cooking onions and cabbage." Bombur grinned down at her, knowing that she would never cook those things.

"And since Rylee doesn't cook," Nori snickered, adding the final remark, "she prefers the smell of roses."

"Don't forget the Lilacs," Balin added with a chuckle.

Not to be left out Ori added, "Or the honeysuckle."

"Well now that everyone knows what I like in my soap," Rylee said with an amused shake to her head, "Maybe it's time to change it up."

"Don't do that, Lass, you would confuse the boys." Bofur said as he passed.

"It wouldn't take much," Dwalin shot at Bofur. Bifur signed and grunted that it took them the last four weeks to figure out the honeysuckle, it would be a shame to make them start all over again. Rylee started to laugh. It was not a soft breathy giggle of a maid, but a full hearty laugh that tinkled like chimes in the wind. Her eyes lit up like fireworks in the sky, and her smile lit her entire face. Kili was completely enthralled.

Fili looked down at her as he passed, "You really should do that more often."

"Fili's right. Are you going to stay here and river watch," Thorin could not help but smirk at her grin. He agreed with his nephew, she was even prettier with a smile, and her laugh was infectious, "Or are you rejoining us now?"

"Mikhaul is already in line behind Kili," Rylee smiled up at him, seeing the glint in his clear blue eyes. Kili passed her and Rylee jumped up onto Mikhaul's back, hauling herself into her seat. She rode quietly behind them at the end of the pony train, her face tilted to the sky allowing the steady rain to hit her face, until the cold began to seep down her neck and into her cloak. Then she lifted her hood and covered her head, effectively shutting out the rain.

"Where are your thoughts Rylee?" Kili asked as they continued through the woods. They were a little behind the others, his voice was low, dampened by the downpour.

"In the past and on the future," She said quietly as she played with Mikhaul's braids. "I really never thought much about the history of the world until I started lessons with Ori. So much has changed, but there is much missing from the Dwarven history, and I am equally part of the rest of the world, I have much to learn. I worry about the people that I left behind, and I wonder if they yet live, or if they were lost to the fall of Beleriand. I never realized how dark these last seven years have been, not until I started searching for the good in it."

"Surely your past feats helped the world in many ways." Kili replied, not quite understanding why she would be thinking such dark thoughts.

"I hope so, but there has never been a time when evil has not tried to resurrect itself, and destroy the greatness of Arda." Rylee spoke her thoughts out loud. Sauron was doing his best to find his way back, and that worried her greatly.

An hour later, Thorin pulled everyone off the trail and deeper into the woods under a tall stand of trees in hopes that they could use the shelter of the trees to make a camp of sorts. It was still wet, but undeniably drier than anywhere else.

They got to work trying to get things set up, Oin and Gloin worked on getting a fire going, but the wood was soaked, and they began to argue about it. Rylee unpacked Mikhaul and set out to find long branches, posts, and rushes to make herself a dry shelter so she could roll out her bedroll for the night. When Fili and Kili saw what she was doing, they quickly followed suit. Soon the entire camp area had fifteen modest lean-tos and one large one for Gandalf. Rylee set up her stuff and took off her axes and her whip, which were holding in the moisture from the excessive rain. Carefully cleaning off her bow and checking the string she put everything in with her bedroll under the dry little shelter. Once she was done, she set out to look for dry firewood.

Oin and Gloin's argument heated up faster than any fire they were trying and failing to build, and was getting quite loud, spooking one of the ponies before Nori could get the packs off. Dendra, the poor beast took off into the swiftly moving creek that ran alongside the camp. Fili and Kili chased after it, grabbing its lead line and pulling the bawling beast towards the embankment. The pony's eyes were wide with fear, her head tilted back and ears were laid flat. She was bucking and planting her feet in a wild refusal to move toward the safety of shore. With the girth strap on the gear somewhat loosened already, it didn't take much to cause all the packs to free themselves from the pony's back. The other dwarves scrambled to salvage what they could before it disappeared downstream.

Fili was just getting the poor girl settled, when he was hit by some sort of flotsam in the water, and his feet were swept under him. His frantic attempt to rise out of the water spooked the already terrified mare. Kili nearly released Dendra's lead to go after Fili, and the little mare went wild, feeling the slack of the tether. Kili was pulled off of his feet and struggled to hang on to the horse as he watched, horrified, as his brother was swept downstream. Thorin grabbed the other lead, and he helped Kili to get the mare under control.

Rylee and Mikhaul came out from the forest further down the river and watched the action in horror. Fili was headed right for her, Dwalin ran down the bank to rescue him but the current was too fast. Rylee was closer and a strong swimmer. She dropped the wood that she was carrying and ran to the edge of the river.

"Mikhaul, help them get Dendra out of the water!" Rylee yelled from the bank as she pulled off her heavy leather tunic and the Mithril corselet that was underneath. She hauled her boots off of her feet and ran to the river's edge, ignoring the bite of the rocks. The large horse charged into the water after the smaller pony, and Rylee ran into the water towards Fili. She didn't see Kili's anxious expression when she dived under the water. Kili didn't see Dendra stumble, her head hit his shoulder, pushing him off his feet, and he was swept into the current. Thorin and Dwalin scrambled to grab a hold of Kili as he was carried downstream. The water was high and the current was fast. Rylee swam hard upstream towards the blond head bobbing in the water, coming straight for her.

"Ulmo, if you are near I could really use your help." Rylee called to the Vala of Rivers and Waters. He helped her once in the ocean, keeping her calm as she drowned. He cried for her, knowing that it was the only way for her to be returned to the doorway of her next life.

"I am here, Rylee," The Vala said softly, "but you don't need me for this. I will help your other friend instead."

With that Ulmo was gone and Rylee wondered for a second what he was talking about, but she had no time to ponder it. Rylee remembered all he taught her about water rescue. She reached out and caught Fili in her arms and pulled his back against her chest, wrapping her arm around his torso. Then she concentrated on keeping them both above water.

Fili was just barely keeping himself afloat, and was ready to let himself go under, when he felt someone grab him from behind. An arm swept under his arm and over his chest. He was pulled to the surface and finally saw the dark grey sky overhead. He was pushed upwards towards the air and he was able to breathe, but the person under him, whoever it was, was under the water. He struggled against the person in panic, and was hit hard in the shoulder. "Stop it, Fili! You have to trust me. Just listen to me and follow my orders. Do you understand?"

It was Rylee. Rylee was holding him in her arms and keeping his head above water. It took him a moment to allow her words into his panicked mind. He tried to talk, but the water in his throat would not allow him speech, all he could do was nod.

"Good! Just kick your feet! Let me take us out!" Rylee yelled over the loud rushing of the water. Then they were cutting across the current towards the bank. Fili kicked as hard as he could, he did his best to follow her orders. He could not see where they were going, and could only trust that she could see what was happening. He felt a sudden drag and they were swept around, looking up he could see low branches hanging down.

"Your feet Fili, find the ground, we are in the shallows!" Rylee's voice called over the rush of the water, right by his ear. He searched for the ground under his feet, and sure enough, there it was, the hard silt and rocky bottom of the river. He gathered his feet under him and moved closer to the bank. There was a crack and a snap behind him and a shriek. He spun and saw Rylee holding tight to a branch that was hanging precariously over the water. She was struggling to get her feet under her in the quick current. Fili struggled back to her and grabbed her hand, hauling her towards the shore. Together they crawled to the river's edge. They rested there for a long moment, both of them coughing up water.

"Are you alright, Fili?" Rylee asked as she pulled herself to her feet. She held out her hand to help him up.

Fili accepted gratefully, as he slowly stood, "Thank you, Rylee, for pulling me out."

"Well, I obviously wasn't going to let you drown, Fili," Rylee said with a smirk, "I would miss my favorite target."

"I knew you were using me! You saucy minx!" Fili chuckled softly as they started to walk back up to camp. They were much farther downstream than he anticipated, so they had to walk back up to the camp.

Rylee was in her bare feet and picking her way carefully over the jagged ground. The loose shale shifted under her feet as she passed over it. She pushed away the discomfort of the bite of the rock into her flesh. Fili was the first to see Kili, unmoving on the ground, Oin attending to him. It was then that Rylee remembered that Ulmo was going to help her 'other friend'.

With a shared look of horror Fili and Rylee ran the rest of the way, Fili grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him. Rylee ignored the rocks cutting into the bottoms of her feet. She only needed Kili to be okay. She fell to her knees at Kili's side as Thorin grabbed Fili and hugged him tight to his chest, thankful that he was alright.

Rylee was hauled back to her feet as Oin moved to her side. "No! Kili!"

"Let Oin help him, Rylee," Thorin ordered as he forcibly turned her towards him. He looked down at her, taking her in, surveying her. His heart was pounding with worry and fear for her safety. Fili was all right, Rylee saved him from drowning, but Rylee was pale as death. She was a mess, debris in her hair, soaked through, her eyes wild with worry. "Are you all right, Rylee, are you hurt?"

"I am fine!" Rylee said trying to turn back toward Kili, but Thorin pulled her against him in a tight hug. He patted her down, asking her a dozen more times, if she was sure she was okay. She assured him she was fine, and then stood together with Thorin and Fili, waiting to see if there was any way Oin could save Kili. Silent tears streamed down her face, she was wrapped in the arms of Thorin and Fili, as they watched and prayed that Kili would be okay. She had no warning, no dreams, no premonitions that told her how to change this. She had no way to save Kili. Rylee never felt as helpless as she did at that moment.

"It was the oddest thing, Balin," Dwalin said shaking his head, looking down at Kili, a grave expression on his face, "We would have lost him completely, but he seemed to get hung up on something in the water and we were able to reach him. It was like he was being pushed to the surface. I just hope it was in time."

The entire Company waited on bated breath around them. Rylee's heart was clenched tight in fear, as she watched Oin press hard on Kili's chest, and turn him on his side to force the water out of his lungs. Suddenly he was coughing, sputtering, and throwing up water from both his stomach and his lungs. Oin slammed him on the back a few more times afterwards to encourage more coughing and ejection of water from his lungs. Finally, Kili could breathe.

Rylee couldn't stop the tears, even as relief swelled in her, seeing that he was okay. It was still several minutes later before he was strong enough to stand, and even then Thorin and Fili helped him to his bedroll. Then Oin shooed everyone away, so he could take care of his patient. Her presence was not needed, so she just stayed out of the way. She went to the edge of the river, and whispered, "Thank you Ulmo, for saving my Beloved."

His watery form appeared in the raging water before her and he smiled gently, "Your Beloved? In that case, you are most welcome, dear child. Visit again soon."

Mikhaul and Dendra were safe, back in the camp with the others, some of the packs could be salvaged, but others were long gone. Within minutes of the aftermath, there were grumblings that the only packs that were lost were the ones containing the majority of their food, so Fili and Thorin and Dwalin set out to go hunting for their dinner. Rylee offered up the use of her bow to Thorin, so that they would have a better chance at shooting some game, if they came across some. Two bows were better than one. All three blinked in surprise at the offer, since her bow was one of her most cherished weapons. After some insistence, Thorin took Rylee's bow, and Fili took Kili's.

Action in the camp came to a standstill as Thorin departed, everyone looking around at each other, not sure what to do. Rylee started calling out commands to the others. Ori and Nori went off to care for the horses and ponies, with Mikhaul's help. Bofur and Bombur, she told to start preparing the vegetables for when their hunters returned. Dori and Bifur she sent to dig trenches for latrines. Gloin was still working over the wood in his fire pit, and Balin was hauling somewhat dry wood into camp. Once everyone was back to work, she made her way back to Kili's lean-to, limping and picking her way, trying to find a comfortable way to walk on her injured feet. Oin was gone, and Kili was awake staring glumly at the back side of the shelter.

"Kili?" Rylee said tentatively. Not sure if she would be welcome or not. He didn't turn toward her, or say a word, he just stared at the back of the shelter, his chest rising and falling with steady breath. She sat down uninvited near his feet and hugged her knees to her chest. She turned her head, so she could watch him. His chest rising and falling, she was so thankful. She closed her eyes and confessed, "I was afraid that you would die."

He looked up at her words, words of worry for him. She was the one who dived into the water to rescue Fili, she was the one who pushed Fili to the surface, and allowed herself to go under. After seeing both his brother and his love swept away, he feared he would lose them. Seeing her there, soaked through, her thin tunic plastered to her form, it was too much. He wanted her against him. He needed her, needed her in his arms. He needed to feel for himself that she was truly safe, "I already told you, you won't lose me, Rylee."

She opened her eyes to see him sitting up, his face a mere inch or two from hers. She raised her head to look at him better and within seconds found herself pulled under him, his lips brushing against hers. His hands were tangled in her hair. She looked up at him in surprise, wondering exactly how he pulled that maneuver. His leg locked around hers, pinning her against him. Thigh to thigh, hip to hip, chest to chest, he had her pinned. Her heart went from being full stop, to pounding against her chest. She brushed her fingertips against his jaw.

"Kili," she started. Rylee didn't get the chance to say anything else, as she was swept away by kiss after drugging kiss. The heat coiled tighter and tighter in her belly, her heart raced, her toes curled. To the point that she was mindless with some need that she could not possibly explain. Her hands were touching his face, his soft stubble and his hair. When he let her breathe, it was in breathless gasps.

"Rylee, I need you." Kili sighed. His hand was on her hip pressing her hard against him. Then it moved to her belly and her ribs and brushed against her breast. He felt her through her thin tunic, so sweet, so pliable, warm soft flesh. He needed more, he needed to be closer. He continued to kiss her as he pushed the wet fabric of both her tunic and her chemise up, baring her belly, her ribs, revealing her pale, smooth skin. He groaned at the sight of his hand on her pale flesh. His fingers brushed the underside of her breast and she arched to meet his touch, gasping his name as he did so.

The sound of his name on her lips was all he needed. Taking her mouth again, he tasted her, and reveled in her sweetness. When he pulled away he trailed kisses over her jaw and to the sensitive spot he found behind her ear. He nuzzled into her for a long moment, as his left hand brushed under her tunic and over her breast, his thumb circling her hardened nipple. She arched into him again, moaning his name. She was perfect for him. He could take her, she wanted him, and he could feel it. It hit him again that she desired him. Not once did she push him away. "You are sweet torment, Rylee."

He touched his forehead to hers and reluctantly forced his hand from under her tunic. He was at war with himself. Mahal, what was wrong with him? He did need her. He did want her, but not just for one night, and not in the middle of a camp. He pulled away from her, and began righting her clothes. His heart was pounding in his chest. "I need you, but not like this. I mean-. There are too many people-, you are part of the company-, I could not disrespect you like this in front of all of them."

"Kili?"She looked up at him completely bemused. Not like what? She didn't understand. Especially when he refused to let her up, keeping her pinned underneath him. His body on top of hers, one hand was trying to fix her clothes, all the while brushing against the flesh at the waist of her breaches, branding her with every gentle stroke of his fingers. She saw the lust in his eyes as he looked down at her.

"Just, give me a minute," Kili said as he struggled to memorize her every curve as her body pressed against him, but that only made the desire worse. He closed his eyes and tried to push it away. It took several minutes to calm his raging need for her. Finally he felt enough control to let her up. They sat there together for several minutes in complete silence before he looked at her. Really looked at her. Her hair was a complete mess from jumping into the river. The many braids were tangled and knotted. The long tresses were snarled and filled with debris. Her thin tunic was still clinging to her form, the wrinkles made it obvious where he pulled it up. Her breaches were still wet, and her feet were bare and bloody, "Rylee-."

"Um, I need to go," Rylee said scrambling to her feet, stumbling forward, ignoring the pain that continued to plague her. She needed space to think about this. What in the world was she doing? Was she really about to allow him to be so intimate? Was she really that reckless of her own desires? No, he was her One, she loved him, but could she just give him everything, without knowing if he felt the same? What if he was just using her? Many times she saw lust in the eyes of her suitors, they wanted something she could not give them, and she was able to keep them at bay. With Kili she was weak, she wanted him. She needed him in ways that she didn't even understand.

"Rylee, wait!" Kili called after her as she nearly ran from him. He was an idiot. He basically told her that if they were someplace else, he would take advantage of her. That was not what he meant at all! And damn it, she needed to take care of those cuts on her feet.

Her feet were killing her, but she had to get dry and cleaned up, and she needed to gather her gear from where she left it farther downstream. She didn't even get two feet before Nori came up to her with her gear. All of it was carefully folded and stacked. "I found your things by the river. Thought you might want them back."

"Thank you, Nori," Rylee smiled taking them from him, then frowned as she took in the odd expression on his face. "What? What is it Nori?"

"It's all there," He mumbled in response, not quite meeting her eyes, "I swear I didn't take anything. I did clean it though, your mail needed oiling."

Rylee smirked at him, his nature was known to her, often the others would notice items missing from their packs in the morning and by evening they were returned to their owner. He never tried to take things from her though, she often wondered why. "I believe you, Nori. You have never taken anything from me."

"It would be sacrilege to take from Mahalul," Nori whispered softly and Rylee tilted her head so she could force him to meet her eyes.

"I appreciate that, Nori, but I trust that it is also because you are my friend," Rylee told him, as Nori straightened he met her eye and smiled. With a quick nod he ambled away, back towards the horses, and Rylee turned back to her lean-to. She sat on her bedroll, doing her best to ignore Kili. His lean-to faced hers and he was sitting under the awning watching her like a hungry hawk.

Using her bath sheet she covered the open side so she could have privacy to change her sodden clothes. The lean-to was cramped and small and didn't offer much room for movement, she had to shimmy out of her soaked clothes, which were making everything difficult by sticking to her flesh. Finally she got the wet things off and she threw them to the end of the small structure and she started to pull on her fresh underwear. Her flesh was still clammy, and even her soft dry underclothes were sticking to her.

He sat in his lean-to, and looked at the towel, knowing she was behind it, trying to dry off. He could hear her grunting and swearing behind it, her wet garments appeared at the foot of the little shelter and Kili swore to himself as he realized that she was in there completely nude. The image of her at the waterfall and the feel of her soft flesh combined and he was certain that he was going to come undone. He stared at the towel as though it was his enemy until suddenly it came down to reveal Rylee clothed only in a dry thin chemise and soft white pantalets. Her beautiful bare pale legs were displayed delectably as she tied the ribbon at her waist. Instantly, lust flared through him, wanting nothing more than to explore that flesh, untie that ribbon.

"Damn it, Rylee, you make this so difficult," Kili groaned in distress and Rylee met his eyes and began to curse. Most of the Khuzdul she used were negative descriptions of herself. Rylee was not nice to herself in any way as she struggled to put the towel back over the frame. Kili crawled over and grabbed the corner of the towel. "You are none of those things, Rylee. Just hurry, I will hold the towel up."

She whimpered in response, she was so stupid. It took her a moment to get over her humiliation before she pulled her pile of gear closer. Knowing that Kili was just on the other side of the towel somehow made the whole situation that much worse. He kept finding her in the most compromising situations. She scrambled to dress, pulling on stockings, breaches, and her mail and tunic. When finally she was somewhat dryer, she whispered, "I am done Kili."

Kili pulled the thin sheet away and folded it up and handed it to Rylee as she crawled out of her shelter wedging her feet into her boots as she went. Hearing her whimper as she stood, he watched her with concern, as she moved around camp. "Rylee, are you all right?"

"It's nothing, I will be fine," She said as she hobbled, limped, and favored both feet as she made herself a makeshift clothesline in an attempt to dry out the other gear. Her feet were killing her, but she was not willing to admit defeat.

He watched her, thinking she was crazy as she strung her clothes out to dry, it would never dry in the rain, without a fire. That was until she grabbed Fili's shovel and moved to make a small pit. Seeing what she intended to do Kili grabbed the shovel from her hands and proceeded to make a fire pit. Then he grabbed the wood from her arms and filled it. The wood wasn't even dry, yet he still piled it into the pit, because it was what Rylee wanted. He turned back to see that she had strung a tarp overtop the clothes line, to keep the rain from soaking the drying clothes, "Anything else I can do, Rylee?"

"No, thank you, Kili," Rylee shook her head. "Put your clothes on the line. You can't stay in your soggy gear. You will get sick, especially after consuming that much river water."

She knelt over the fire pit, and placed her hand underneath several pieces of wood, she whispered something and suddenly a flame leapt up and caught the wood on fire, "What are you waiting for? It's not like I have not seen a man in long underwear before, besides, you will dry out faster if you have fewer layers."

"When did you see a man in long underwear?" Kili asked, a feeling of anger rose in him, unexpected and unwanted. The rage he felt was even hotter than when he watched Rylee interacting with the rest of the company. He grabbed the remains of a large fallen tree and rolled it up to the fire, as a seat.

"You mean, other than the barracks tents, when I was escorting Kaia? I was on the road with Turin, going after Glaurung, the same thing happened to him. He fell into a river and we needed to get him dry quickly so we could continue." Rylee said as she looked up at Kili who was still standing in his wet clothes. "Stop being a girl about it, Kili, you have seen me in less."

Kili forgot about her mentioning being in the barracks tents. Kaia was her healer friend and it only made sense that she would need Rylee there for protection. He sighed and removed his jacket, and both of his tunics, but he left his breaches on. Then he hung his stuff beside hers. He looked at their belongings side by side on the rope and decided that he liked the look of it. Now if only he could get her to wear some of his colors. Durin blue would look pretty on her. He sat straddling the large log and looked at her as she added more wood to the small fire.

Oin and Gloin looked up from their soggy pile of wood and saw Rylee's fire. The shock on their faces was comical until they realized who started the fire. Gloin called over to her, "Mahalul! Don't just sit there. Come help us get this going."

Oin smacked Gloin on the shoulder, "Where are your manners, brother?"

"Fine, help us get this going, tonight," Gloin smirked.

Rylee laughed, that was as close as she was ever going to get to a please. She hobbled over to the other fire pit and within moments a bright fire was licking at the wood. "I only do this because you asked so nice, Gloin."

Oin smacked him again, and Gloin growled, "What? She thought it was funny!"

"She's Mahalul!" Oin bellowed loudly in Gloin's ear. "She is magic! The fire should have been lit an hour ago, and we should be grateful for her."

"I am grateful, you overloud goat! I was just teasing the lass!" Gloin bellowed back.

Rylee shook her head with a wry smirk as she limped back to her own fire and added some more wood. "I don't think I have ever heard those two argue before."

"Sit in front of me Rylee, I want to fix your hair," Kili said softly, once she was finished tending their fire. Her hair was still a complete mess, filled with debris and it was drying in thick mats. Her eyes went wide in surprise for a moment, then a small smile lifted her lips and she did as he requested. She settled herself in front of him on the tree trunk, sitting cross legged in front of him. He started at the ends, combing through her hair, from the ends up to the roots. He separated the braids and pulled the debris from the intricate plaits and knots that were woven into it. He released her clip so he could work on the roots of her hair, he heard her sigh as he massaged the matted knots away from her scalp. "You said braiding causes you pain, that hair touching causes you pain."

"Yes, it usually does," Rylee said softly, still reeling from the fact that every time his fingers touched her hair, warmth would spill through her like liquid fire. Everyone caused her pain, even the Valar caused pain, and they were her makers, but when Kili touched her hair, it was like someone set fire to her insides. Why was Kili so different? Was it because he was her One?

"I am not hurting you, am I?" Kili whispered softly as he combed out leafs and sticks, and even a dead spider, he would not tell her about that one.

"No, Kili, you are not hurting me," Rylee whispered in return. He was combing through the hair at her scalp and she felt the contented sigh leave her throat as her eyes closed. This was bliss.

Even after he was satisfied that he got all the debris out and it was combed through sufficiently, he continued brushing his fingers through the soft waves, helping it to dry. He fought the temptation to add a braid to her hair, to mark her as his. Reluctantly he fixed it in the exact manner that she always wore it. When he was done he pulled her hair to fall down her back, planted a quick kiss behind her ear, and was rewarded with a soft moan.

"Thank you, Kili." Rylee said turning towards him. There was something soft and unreadable in her eyes and he wondered what she was thinking. "May I return the favor?"

He looked at her for a moment and nodded. They both turned so that he sat in front of her and she started combing through his hair. Her fingers were gentle and quick, she loosened up the knots and pulled away the debris, unclasping his clip he felt it release in her fingers, his hair fell around his face, and his heart stopped for a fraction of a second. Never before had he let any maid touch his hair, much less care for it, it was always off limits. He felt her scoot closer as she worked through the top of his scalp. She was shorter than he and had to get closer to work through it. Her fingers were like magic, each time she combed through a lock he felt an urge to sigh in pleasure. He could feel her press against him, her warmth against his back as she worked through his hair. All too soon it was over, his clip was back in his hair and she was moving away.

"Thank you, Rylee," He told her softly as he watched her brush all of the debris off of their seat and onto the forest floor. "Not just for fixing my hair, but for saving Fili."

She met his eyes and gave him a small smile but said nothing in return. She stared into the fire, seemingly lost in thought, Kili watched her, thinking that she looked beautiful in the glow of the small fire. He thought about his experience in the river, and the odd voice that he remembered, telling him to stay calm.

"Rylee, when you went into the sea with the Dragon of Gondolin, did you drown?" Kili asked her softly.

"Aye, but Uncle Ulmo was there, he helped keep me calm," Rylee met his eyes and watched him carefully, "Did you see him, Kili?"

"No," Kili smirked, "I heard him, he told me to remain calm, and that help would arrive soon. You have an interesting family, Rylee. I just wish I could meet them under less dire circumstances."

"Me too, but they are the Valar, they will not show up unless there is great need," She whispered as she looked into the fire. "I am just grateful that he was nearby, Ulmo is often far away in the seas and lakes of Middle-Earth. He is not overly fond of small creeks and puddles."

"I am doubly thankful that he was at hand then," Kili said softly. He watched her closely, she seemed pensive and lost for a long moment. He wondered if he should leave her to her thoughts. Then she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and he was consumed by the desire to kiss her. He wanted to nibble on her bottom lip, run the tip of his tongue against it and taste her, he needed to go before he mauled her again.

"Would you like to help me make some shafts for my arrows?" Rylee blurted out as Kili rose, she didn't want him to go. She nearly lost him once already, and was not ready to have him out of her sight. She wanted him to stay close to her. Seeing him so near death, it nocked something loose within her, it scared her more than anything else in her life ever had. Meeting Ungoliant was terrifying, losing Kili though, that was one thing she could not handle. The very thought shook her to the core. Losing Kili would destroy her.

"You mean go collect the wood for them?" Kili asked in confusion.

"No, I already did that, they have been curing for several days," Rylee smiled softly as she thought about tramping through the forest in the rain. "I meant debarking and straightening them."

"Oh, all right," Kili looked at her for a long moment. He would have loved to spend time with her alone in the forest. However, considering his lack of control lately, it probably would not be the best idea. "I would love to."

"Great, I will just go, Oh-!" Rylee said as she stood, she sat back down, pulling her feet back off the ground. She had forgotten about the cuts from the loose shale, she forgot about the pain that came from them.

"Your feet! Rylee, why haven't you had Oin check them yet?" Kili said as he jumped to his feet and turned on her. He knelt down and pulled off her boots. She started to protest, but he growled at her and reached up her pant leg and pulled down her stockings before she could say another word. "Oin! Come here and look at Rylee's feet!"

Gloin nudged his brother, who was not paying any attention and didn't hear half of what was said. The grey bearded healer stood and ambled over, "What is it Boy? What is wrong with your seat?"

"Rylee's feet, Master Oin," Kili rolled his eyes and shook his head, "her feet are all cut up."

Oin knelt down in front of Rylee and picked up one of her feet, examining the bottoms. He tut-tutted her and went back to his lean-to for his medicine pack. "Not just cut up, Lad, she still has a few rocks in there."

"Rylee Emitheral, you should have had these looked at right away!" Gloin took one look and admonished her in a fatherly way. Kili smirked, it was the same way that Gloin would take after his son Gimli when he did something Gloin thought improper. "To think we had you traipsing all over camp on those gouges, you should not be walking at all. Oy! What Mahal must think of me!"

"Mahal likes you just fine, Gloin," Rylee quipped with a wry grin, "Me, he thinks I am stubborn, reckless, obtuse, overly adventurous, mischievous, cheeky, and an incomparable brat. Imp, monster, and rebel were among many other things he has called me over the years."

"You are all those and more, you little fool, to be limping around on those for the past two hours," Gloin pointed at her feet as he shook his head in frustration, both at himself and at Rylee, "What are we going to do with you, Lass?"

"No wonder you can't walk Rylee," Kili looked from her feet to her face. The soft pink pads were etched with fine cuts and there were indeed a few sharp rocks still stuck in her flesh. He had no idea how she didn't notice earlier. "Why did you take off your boots in the first place?"

"So I wouldn't be weighed down in the water. After that incident in the slough, I found out that Dragon skin is really heavy when it's wet," Rylee said quietly, not quite meeting his eyes, "and I didn't expect to be running back to camp over the shale fields by the river's edge."

"Kili, go fetch some water, Gloin boil it up, the river water is already starting to cause an infection," Oin said as he returned with his pack and once again knelt down in front of her. He started cleaning away most of the smaller rocks first, wiping them away with a dry cloth. He put the cloth aside and pulled out a small pair of tweezers, and began digging out the more embedded stones. She tried to breathe past the discomfort as he worked. "You have small feet for a dwarf, Miss Rylee."

"Really? I am not sure if I should be pleased or insulted," She quipped at the observation, then yelped as Oin pulled out a particularly stuck sliver of shale.

"You have adorable feet, Rylee," Kili said looking down at her small ankles and the small pads that Oin was currently pulling another sliver out of. He wanted to tickle her delicate little toes, which were much different than his larger rounded ones. He carried several bandages in his hands as Gloin carried over a large bowl of steaming water.

Gloin chuckled at the comment, "They are cute, for feet, but then, she is still just a girl, Kili."

"I will take it as a compliment then, and whoever disagrees can go jump in the river," Rylee said with a wince as Oin started cleaning out the wounds with hot water. The heat didn't bother her at all, it was the pressure against the raw flesh that hurt. "It's a good thing we are not walking, or the next few days would be torture. I have never been so thankful for Mikhaul."

"No worries lass, we will get you cleaned up and road worthy in a jiffy," Oin said with a pat to her knee. He was true to his word. Once the debris was pulled out of each foot, he had her cleaned up, and a thick salve spread over the pads of her feet. The only problem was that she was not allowed to move from her seat on the log. "Keep them exposed to air for the next few hours, and do not walk on them tonight. I will check them again in the morning."

"So now what?" Rylee asked as the healer moved back to the other fire, along with his brother. Kili put another couple of pieces of wood on the fire then turned back to sit with her.

"We can still make your arrow shafts, if you like, just tell me where to find them," Kili offered as he watched her stare into the flames, her grey eyes sparkled brightly and her bare feet dangled a few inches above the ground. In that moment she did look almost childlike.

She met his eyes with a small grin, "They are in my pack. Would you grab it for me?"

"Sure," Kili jumped up and turned to her lean-to, within moments he was back with the black satchel, setting it on the log beside her. He watched as she opened it up and pulled out a leather wrapped bundle and set it beside them. She reached back into the bag and hesitated for a long moment.

"Kili?" her voice was little more than a whisper, and Rylee nearly shook with fear as she held the thick metal cuff in her hand. She could feel his eyes on her as she hesitated, and she blushed deeply. "If I gave you something, would you wear it? As – as a t-token of my favor? A Token of Suit?"

"You would give me a token, Rylee?" Kili asked quietly, he moved the leather bound branches to the forest floor and sat beside her, close enough that his knee brushed hers.

"Aye, if you would accept it," Rylee said pulling out a leather bound item from her pack. She was not meeting his eyes, the fiery maid was suddenly bashful and Kili noticed the pink flush that warmed her pale skin. She held the item reverently, in both hands, as though it was precious to her, and Kili realized that she was offering it to him as though she was offering a part of herself. She was offering her love.

Kili swallowed past the sudden lump that filled his throat. She had accepted his courtship. For weeks he was hoping for this, her token. He knew that if there was a time to walk away from this, it was now. There would be no turning back if he accepted the item. She moved the item into one hand and with the other she opened the leather to reveal her token.

It was a wide black cuff, meant to go around a man's wrist, it was beautifully made. It had a trigger type lock, much like a clasp, and opened in half so that it could be put on with ease. The thick black metal was welded, etched and engraved with his personal emblem design, combined with what he could only guess was hers. There was a bright silver pearlescent sheen to the shell that was inlayed in it. He recognized it immediately. Dragon scale. It looked like she had painstakingly cut and carved one of the massive scales into small chips, and then layered them, to look like the metal was coated in miniature dragon scales. The scales were framed with black diamonds and bright sapphires. It was easily the most beautiful wrist cuff he had ever seen. It was light enough and thin enough that he could wear it under his leather gauntlets.

"I would be honored, Rylee," Kili said as his heart pounded in his chest. She was honoring him with a handmade token made from a scale of the dragon they killed together. The next step was to convince her to wear a courting braid. His courting braid.


	16. Down By The River PT2 Footloose

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**So, umm, this chapter is actually a continuation of the last one, which became HUGE, so here is part 2**

Chapter 16

May 24

Down By The River - Part 2

Hunting took much longer than they thought it would, but they were hugely successful and what they took down would feed the company for a few days. Thorin could not believe the accuracy of Rylee's bow. It was no wonder that she called it 'True' for it was built to perfection. Every shot was dead on. It just made Thorin wonder why Rylee could still not hit the target, even though he had seen the odd phenomenon since she was barely a child.

"Hair combing, but still no braids," Bofur said to Fili as Thorin, Fili, and Dwalin reentered camp carrying a small deer, three large rabbits, and a pair of wild turkey's between the three of them. Bofur was helping Bombur cut up some more of Rylee's vegetables for their stew. Their eyes flicked to the couple sitting on a large log beside a small fire that was built between their lean-tos, and the nearby clothesline with their garments close by.

"They combed each other's hair?" Thorin asked with a note of surprise, that was progress. Kili hated when people other than family tried to touch his hair. Rylee hated having her hair combed, screamed as a child when Varda would brush her hair, and she had the most gentle hands. Balin said that she winced when Thorin put his braid in her hair, though she tried to hide it.

"Aye, they helped each other clean up," Bofur grinned at Fili, "Been rather cozy ever since."

"Why are braids and combing important?" Bilbo asked, his curiosity was piqued, "Rylee said that it was offensive for another to touch her hair without permission, but why is it important that Kili and Rylee touch hair?"

"It is an intimate act in our culture," Ori informed him from his seat by the fire. For once his journal was hidden safely in his pack, being kept dry in the rain. "Kili is trying to court Rylee, but he is doing everything backwards. She is supposed to make the first initiative, by giving him a courting bead. Then he should have asked her to accept a courting braid first before all this chasing, kissing, and cuddling he has been doing."

"Actually Ori, Rylee told us that in the First Age, the male pursued the female. The male would prove to his intended Dwarrowdam that he was a worthy mate and make her a personal token, an item that held meaning for both parties. Once she accepted him, she would ask him to exchange courting braids followed by the wedding." Bofur informed them quietly. "I wonder how long they would have to wait before they marry."

"A minimum of three courting days," Gandalf informed them as he took a draw from his pipe.

"How do you know this Gandalf?" Thorin asked, bristling a little. Dwarvish customs were very well kept secrets, even the most ancient of them.

"Rylee, told me," Gandalf said with a wry grin. "She told me that she was lucky that Oropher didn't find her courting bead, or she and Thranduil would have been as good as married. Once a Dwarf receives a courting braid, intimacy is allowed. In Elven culture, such intimacy is an immediate act of marriage. Because Rylee would only allow a Dwarven ritual, by with-holding her bead, Rylee effectively held off the marriage. Two beads make a mated pair."

"Rylee already has a courting bead?" Bilbo asked in surprise, he wondered if Kili or Mikhaul knew this.

Gandalf and Thorin both chuckled and looked at the Hobbit. Thorin was the one to respond, "Of course she does, she made it before she left Aman. It is tradition. A courting bead is one of the first things a Dwarrowdam learns to forge. Some Dwarfs never make one, seeing as they prefer their craft to anything else, and others like Fili and Kili make one as soon as they are of age. As Princes it is their duty to marry and carry on the Durin line."

"So Kili is courting Rylee?" Bilbo asked as he watched the couple across the camp. They were working with each other, cleaning and straightening long, straight, branches to be turned into arrows.

"I had to make one for my Ami," Gloin said softly as he looked once again at the picture of his wife, all this courting business was making him miss his family. "I thought that I would only ever prefer the book-keeping and ledgers, but when Ami offered me her courting bead, I fell arse over tea-kettle for her and had to go make my bead."

"I never intend to marry," Oin admitted softly, looking at the group, "so I don't have a bead, don't intend to make one either."

"Whereas I have a bead," Bofur said with a cheeky grin, "There must be a lass out there for me somewhere."

"What is it going to take for the fool to claim her already?" Fili grumbled shaking his head. They set the deer down and started to skin it. They already cleaned it in the forest, not wanting the entrails close to camp to lure predators or worse, they just needed to skin it so Bombur could cook it. "It is not like they have to worry about these customs while on the Quest."

"Of course they have to follow customs, Fili, their King and guardian are in their presence," Thorin told him. It seemed that Fili was more than accepting of having Rylee as his sister-in-law. "Rylee has to give him the token she made before he has any right to claim her."

"Rylee finished Kili's token?" Fili asked in surprise, he glanced at Rylee. She was sitting with her knee brushing against Kili's as they worked together.

"Aye, she asked me to bless it earlier today, she seems quite hesitant about whether to give it to him," Thorin watched them guardedly. She was doing her best to guard her heart, but nearly losing Kili today may have changed her mind. "They are young, but they are good for each other."

"You are right about that, motion stopped in camp when you left to hunt, Rylee whipped everyone back to work," Balin said with a smile. Thorin looked around at the camp, the ponies were calm and cared for, under the direction of Mikhaul and Nori. Latrines were dug, shelters were built, and the Company was taking initiative to dry out their belongings, obviously taking their cue from the young Queen. "And Kili has been helping her with everything since she's been injured."

"Injured? What do you mean injured?" Thorin asked in surprise, he asked her before she left if she was all right. She assured him that she was fine.

"She cut up her feet on the shale beds at the river," Oin told him, "walked around camp for a couple of hours, calling out orders, getting things straightened out. Kili is the one who told us about the injury."

"Mahal, will the girl ever learn? Too damn stubborn to admit defeat," Thorin asked shaking his head. She never seemed to want to ask for help.

"It's a good thing Kili was there, Thorin," Gloin said looking over at the couple as they worked together by their small fire. "Rylee's feet are a mess."

"They do suit each other don't they?" Bilbo asked no one in particular, it was more a statement than any real question.

Thorin's curiosity got the better of him, he wanted to know if his hunch was right, and he had the perfect excuse to check. He needed to return Rylee's bow, the same bow that he used to kill the deer and both the turkeys. "Bombur get this roasted. Use both fires."

"Do you think she gave it to him?" Dwalin asked, looking at the pair sitting beside their fire working together.

"That is what we are going to find out," Thorin grinned at Dwalin as he carried the bow with him. Thorin and Dwalin moved closer to the young couple who were sitting beside the fire. Rylee and Kili both had long branches and daggers in their hands. They were obviously working on stripping the shafts to make arrows. They were discussing arrowheads and feathers as he approached with Rylee's bow. Rylee looked relaxed, sitting sideways on the large trunk, her knee brushing Kili's. It was the only point of contact, yet she was blushing. He waited for her to hand Kili the cleaned shaft before he handed her the bow, saying, "If you make your arrows as well as you did the bow, you will have the perfect weapon, Mahalul."

"Thank you, Ugshar," Rylee said softly. She accepted the bow, carefully propping it beside her, against the log. "I take it you were successful with your hunt, then?"

"Aye. What happened to your feet?" Thorin asked looking down at Rylee's bare feet, her toes were curled and her ankles crossed hanging inches off of the ground. He could see the slightly brown tint of drying blood through the thick salve that covered the portion of her pads that he could see.

"I cut them up when running back from the river with Fili," Rylee said quietly, her attention remained on cleaning the bark off of the branch that she was working on. She glanced up at him before she removed another strip, "Oin cleaned them up and put on a salve, they will be better in a few days."

"You didn't think to mention that when I asked you if you were all right," Thorin admonished her gently, raising an eyebrow at her.

She looked up at him, and then her eyes turned towards Kili, "It was not all that important at the time."

Thorin understood her meaning, seeing both Fili and Kili swept away was hard enough on him. But to see Kili pale and so close to death was beyond belief, he was certain that he was going to go mad with grief. Rylee was a complete mess when he tried to pull her away from Kili's side. He and Fili had to physically haul her away. He didn't think the little War Maiden could be brought to such a state, but then she was a child with the gifts of the Valar. She had a great capacity for love and affection. With great love could bring great pain.

"Yes, we had too many close calls this day," Thorin agreed softly. Meeting Kili's eyes, he didn't think Kili knew what was happening around him at the time, but he was certain that Fili would tell him all about it later. Kili reached one of the newly cut shafts over the fire and Thorin noticed the metal cuff on Kili's left wrist immediately. Rylee had given him her token, and Kili accepted it. Thorin barely held his grin in check.

"The string of your bow, what is it made of?" Dwalin asked as he stood before her, watching her and Kili work side by side. They worked well together, Rylee was stripping the cured boughs and cut them to length while Kili heated them over the fire and straightened each shaft. He noticed the cuff on Kili's wrist as well and met Thorin's gaze with a smirk of his own.

"A few strands of Mikhaul's hair twined with some of mine." Rylee looked up at him with a small smile. "Mikhaul's hair is strong as steel and yet flexible, while mine will never burn."

Dwalin picked up one of the completed shafts and inspected it for flaws, but like Rylee's other weapons he found none. They were simple, but straight, hard, and light. Depending on her arrowheads and her flights they would make fine ammunition for her bow. "What kind of tips are you thinking?"

"Trilobate tips, I was thinking of making a set of four Blood Mithril tips, four Black Iron, and a dozen steel." Rylee smiled at him. "I just need a proper forge to make them, since I cannot do that kind of work without the proper tools. As much as I love the privacy of a small fire, there is nothing like working the forge."

"You planning on going after the dragon with those tips?" Dwalin asked quietly, wondering what else she might think she would need armor piercing tips for.

"Balrogs, Trolls, Dragons, Werewolves, anything with a tough hide really," Rylee said with a small smile as she finished peeling the bark off of the last arrow shaft and cutting it to size. "This is the last one Kili."

"Good timing, I think Bombur wants our fire," Kili said with a smile as he took the final shaft from Rylee's hands. Bombur was on his way with a rack and the small deer, ready to be roasted over the fire. He waited for Kili to be finished and then set the rack up and set the deer to roast. Rylee moved to step down, reaching for her stockings and boots. Kili looked at her arching a brow, "What do you think you are doing?"

"Going to use the latrine?" Rylee responded as though she was questioning why he was asking.

"You can't walk there, Oin said to stay off your feet, and the salve hasn't soaked in yet so you cannot put your stockings or boots back on." Kili told her, standing up. Rylee looked at him with wide eyes, it was obvious that she was thinking about all the things that she would need help with over the following days. A blush brightened her face as she thought about her personal needs that she attended to. "Arms up, I will carry you."

"Oh no! Kili, no!" Rylee protested heatedly, she was completely mortified. Dwalin and Thorin snickered softly as they walked away, not at all wanting to be part of the conversation. Kili didn't give her much of a choice. He easily swung her into his arms and carried her across camp towards the latrines, ignoring her shrieks of protest.

Latrines was a nice way of saying a pit in the ground with a log that a person could hang their bottom over in order to do their business. In the forest the only proper cleaning tools were leaves and moss. It was one of the many reasons why Rylee liked to bathe regularly. She could barely stand doing this alone, now she was to have a bloody audience? What a way to start a courtship. Being utterly dependant on him for mobility was one thing, but for this? She was absolutely mortified and was even more so when Kili asked, "How should we do this?"

"You will set me down and go off a ways, and I will figure out the rest," Rylee told him matter-of-factly, there was no way that she was going to allow him to hang around while she did her business. "I will call you when I am done."

Kili chuckled softly and did as she asked, giving her the time and space she needed. He couldn't help but think of all the things that she would need help with over the following week or so while her feet healed. Getting on and off Mikhaul, moving around camp, using the latrines, she would finally not have to do so many chores, but then he would be the one to pick up her slack. There was no way he would allow her to feel like she was a burden to any of the company. As her suitor it only made sense that he be the one to take on her responsibilities.

It was several minutes later before she called him back. She was kneeling on the log, her feet dangling over the back. She looked adorable, her face in a pained grimace, he could tell that she was rather put out by the fact that she couldn't walk around. He shook his head and silently picked her up, intending to carry her back to the camp.

"Where are you going?" Rylee asked looking up at him shocked, "Go to the river!"

"The river? Why in Durin's name would we go anywhere near the river?" Kili looked at her feeling completely perplexed.

"To wash up of course!" Rylee shot him a dark look, was he saying that he didn't wash up after doing his business, or before eating? Disgusting! That would have to change.

"I do suppose we will be eating soon. Are you always this fastidious?" Kili asked as he carried her along. She was much lighter than he would have thought, considering how strong she was. But then from the first day, he was amazed by how tiny she was in his arms.

"Fastidious no, I just prefer to be clean," Rylee told him as he set her down on the river bank, careful not to allow her feet to touch the ground. "I was taught that cleanliness was important to good health and staying strong. Whatever I am doing must be working, because I have never been sick."

"Only injured, apparently," Kili teased her gently, as she washed her hands and arms in the river water. He did the same, seeing as dinner was not too far away, judging by the smells coming from camp.

Rylee shook the water off her clean hands and chuckled lowly, "Only when absolutely necessary, Kili."

"It was not necessary for you to injure yourself, Rylee," Kili said shaking his head at her. Why did she think she needed to run over the rocks? He picked her up and carried her back to camp. He could get used to this, this closeness.

She looked up at him, he had her cradled in his arms, carrying her like a baby and not once did he complain. He had an almost satisfied smirk on his face, and she wondered briefly if he was enjoying the fact that she was unable to get around camp by herself, "I would have run faster if I could have, Kili, if it meant getting you out of the water and to safety faster. I would have run the entire way and not given any thought to injury."

"You cannot mean that," Kili whispered meeting her gaze, but he saw only sincerity in her expressive grey eyes. "What of your own safety?"

"If you or anyone I cared for were in danger, I would fight for you," Rylee told him honestly, she didn't see the point in beating around the bush. "I was trained to fight, Kili. I do not know another way."

"So what, you are not afraid to die?" Kili asked worriedly, would she really throw herself into a life threatening situation at every turn? He took her back to their campfire and sat down, keeping her on his lap.

"Of course I fear death!" Rylee looked at him with no small amount of shock. "Death is painful and terrifying, why would I not fear death?"

"Because you have already died three, possibly four times," Kili whispered, meeting her eyes. She died at the end of her quests. He tried not to think about that, but it was hard not to, she was the Daughter of Mahal after all. Perhaps he was the one to change her fate in this life.

"That only makes me fear it more," Rylee admitted softly, "but that fear would not stop me from trying to protect or save the people I care for."

"Like jumping into a raging river for my brother?" Kili asked her softly, she saved Fili, threw herself into danger to do it.

"I was in no danger there, I knew Ulmo was nearby and he was the one to teach me to swim. The only reason I drowned in my second life was because I was in the middle of the sea." Rylee smirked, as she thought back on that death, "It is rather hard to swim such a massive body of water. Ulmo was there for me then, and he was there for you today."

"How did you know he was close by?" Kili asked her, realizing that she was not at all surprised that the Vala had spoken to him, or that he kept him calm in the water.

"We spoke earlier, that was one of the reasons Mikhaul and I went ahead today," Rylee grinned at him, "Apparently Bob is really happy and found his mate. He told me that Nienna and Yavanna are talking to each other again, so that's really good news."

"Why wouldn't Yavanna and Nienna be talking?" Kili asked her, he wanted to know everything about Rylee. She was absolutely fascinating.

"Oh, um, well," Rylee blushed and lowered her eyes, her face fell a little and Kili felt bad for asking, "I sort of caused a major dispute between the Valar and nearly broke the world."

"Sort of?" Kili quirked a brow in question.

Rylee shook her head, "Not ready for that one yet, I don't want to talk about it."

"Was it really that bad Rylee?" Kili whispered softly, Rylee only nodded and looked into the fire. "Have you ever told anyone about what happened? Does Thorin know?"

"Thorin knows almost everything," Rylee sneered in annoyance, "I swear, the Valar told him everything. I couldn't get away with anything growing up."

"Growing up, so you were made as a child?" Kili couldn't help the question. He would have thought that she would have been created like the Dwarves, as full-fledged adults and learned at Mahal's side from that point on.

"I was made as a baby." Rylee nodded quietly, she tried to sit up straighter in Kili's lap but he only secured her closer. It was getting harder and harder to keep her thoughts on the serious conversation they were having. Her hand snaked around him and she curled into him. He didn't protest, in fact he pulled her closer, his right hand settling around her waist and his left around her thighs.

"You look like a baby curled up like that," Fili teased as he joined them at their fire.

Kili shot him a glare as Rylee moved to pull away, he pulled her back against him, "He's just jealous Rylee, don't mind him."

"Sorry about your feet Rylee," Fili said looking at the jagged cuts under the salve that was finally starting to soak into her skin. "I didn't realize that you were barefoot."

"I have survived much worse, Fili," Rylee nodded dismissively. There was nothing for him to apologize for. She would have run on her own, without him pulling her along.

"So you were saying that you were made as a baby?" Fili said as Balin, Dwalin and Thorin gathered around their fire.

"She was quite small if I recall, smaller than the pair of you," Thorin said with a smile, the fine lines around his eyes crinkled at the memory of her. "She already had wisps of hair, and a strong grip, even though her hand could barely wrap around my little finger."

"Were you really that small?" Kili inquired enjoying the feel of her against him. He wondered what their children might look like, would they be that small? Would they have his eyes or hers? They might have his darker coloring or would they be pale like she was? How many children did she want? One or two was the norm, four was a brood and anything more was exceedingly rare.

"She was tiny, but not for long, she grew like a bad weed," Thorin smiled at her, "Rylee learned to walk holding on to Mikhaul's tail. Her first word was Adad."

"She called Mahal, Adad?" Fili asked in amazement, peeking at Rylee who seemed hugely interested in Kili's collar all of a sudden.

"No, I called Thorin, Adad." Rylee whispered, Kili looked down and noticed that her cheeks were flushed. "My second word, according to Yavanna, was Mahal."

"And your third?" Kili asked as he tried not to be effected by her hand playing with the neckline of his tunic, her fingers brushing his skin. She was making him burn for her.

"Third? There was no third," Thorin chuckled with real mirth. Fili and Kili shared a glance. It was rare for their uncle to laugh. "She refused to say anything more than Mahal or Adad for months before she turned to Yavanna and-,"

"No, Ugshar!" Rylee gasped turning suddenly in Kili's arms, she nearly fell off of his lap, "Don't s-,"

"Said, "How come Mahal gets loud at night when you come home to visit?" Thorin continued over her interruption as though he didn't even hear her. Kili pulled Rylee back against him as she groaned in embarrassment.

She buried her face in her hands as everyone around her laughed. "I was four! I had no idea."

"Obviously, Mahalul," Dwalin chuckled at her expense.

"Quite articulate for a four year old Dwarfling," Balin teased, he remembered Thorin telling him that particular story, years ago. Thorin felt he was lucky that he was even there to see it. Apparently both Yavanna and Mahal looked about as mortified as Rylee did at that moment.

* * *

><p>May 26<p>

Footloose

Kili spent the next couple of days carrying Rylee around the camp, and enjoying every moment of it. Rylee, however, was slightly annoyed. Sure, she loved being around Kili, but she really missed walking. Independence was one thing she truly missed. The morning after the incident, she was allowed to stand but only for a few minutes at a time, according to Oin. This morning she was told the same thing just in case. However, he said she would be able to walk around freely the following day if she was careful.

It was still raining, and unfortunately they were unable to find a place for camp that would offer much shelter. This was why Kili, Rylee and Fili combined their bedrolls to make one large sleeping mat, layering their blankets and best waterproof cloaks on top to make a somewhat warmer shelter. Luckily, none of them had watch that night and they might all be able to have a decent night sleep if they could stay warm and dry.

They were sitting together as a group around the fire, most of the Company had out their pipes, mostly to try to keep them warm, even though the rain was dampening their spirits. Rylee was sitting cross legged by the fire pit, keeping the fire going in the drizzle of rain, relighting it when it would flicker out.

"Thank Mahal that you are with us lass," Bombur told her as he stirred the stew once again, "This stew, might taste a little off due to the constant change in temperature, but at least it will be cooked."

"Hmm, sorry, Bombur," Rylee sighed as she tried to get the flames to stay at an even height for cooking. "This is one of the reasons I can't cook. The fire reacts to my presence and my thoughts, so in enclosed spaces, like an oven, well let's just say things get a little heated?"

"Would you like a puff lass?" Bofur said as Rylee gently blew away Gandalf's smoky dragonfly. He noticed that she didn't seem to mind the pipe smoke at all. He offered her his pipe.

"Not if you want to keep your pipe," Rylee said with a small smile. "Fire in small spaces and me are not a good idea. We don't mix well."

"That's just an excuse," Nori teased her with a wink, she quirked a brow at him. "You have to prove it now."

"I'm game, but if someone's pipe turns to ash it is not my fault," Rylee grinned mischievously.

"You can use mine, love," Kili said from his seat behind her. She met his gaze with a worried look. The pipe was one of his father's pipes. It was one of the only things Kili owned that once belonged to him. She knew what it meant to him. He smiled and held out his arms to her, he trusted her. She nodded and scooted back using her hands. He lifted her up onto his lap, and took a quick draw from his pipe before handing it to her.

"Nuh-uh, you hold the pipe, there is a tiny fire in that thing and if I touch it, it will ignite," Rylee told them all, "I am going to take a draw off the pipe, when I stop, pull the pipe away quickly, get it?"

"Got it," Kili smirked.

"Good," Rylee nodded once. Kili put the pipe to her lips and Rylee took a draw off the pipe. Kili felt the wood warm under his fingertips, and he pulled the pipe away. He watched her face as it seemed to light up from within. Rylee stood before him, tilted her head up and released her breath. Smoke should have curled up, but instead of a curl of grey, there was a bright flare of red flame.

"Mahal's forge! Rylee spits fire like a dragon," Dori said in almost fearful awe.

Rylee held up her hand as she breathed out completely and still the flame continued. Bofur guffawed happily, "I love ya, lass, I truly do, but perhaps it's best you not smoke a pipe."

"Does it ever end?" Nori asked in awe as the flame continued to leave Rylee's mouth. The drizzling rain did absolutely nothing to cool it or make it go out.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, she breathed out more fire for a full minute before the flames finally came to an end. Fili handed her a canteen of water and Rylee chugged it gratefully. At last she handed it back to Fili and looked at Bofur, "That is why I don't cook, or smoke."

"Can't you control it?" Bilbo asked with a worried expression on his face.

"That was controlled, Bilbo, the first time I ever tried a pipe, it was a disaster." Rylee smiled softly and moved to sit back down beside Kili, he of course pulled her into his lap, "The first time I was with Durin, he offered me a draw on his pipe, I wasn't really certain that it was a good idea, but he was really insistent. Luckily we were outside, because the moment I took a draw, the pipe turned to ash in my hand, and I lit up like dry tinder struck by a spark."

"How's your pipe, Kili? Did she over heat it?" Fili asked his brother, it would be a shame for him to lose it, considering it was one of their father's pipes.

"It did get a little warm, but it still works just fine," Kili smiled taking another draw.

"Just in time," Bombur told them just as the fire gutted out once again. The wood was just too wet to stay lit without Rylee being constantly beside it. "Food is served."

Bombur handed Rylee a bowl, full to the brim and two spoons. Rylee looked up at him and smirked, "So we have graduated to actually sharing the bowl, eh?"

"Figured it was time you two lovebirds shared your meal properly." Bombur grinned.

"There's just one problem, Bombur," Kili said picking up his spoon, he put it to Rylee's lips. She looked at it and then up at him, and he waited until she took the bite, "You brought one too many spoons."

"Pshaw! He did not," Rylee grabbed her spoon before it could be taken away, "If you get to feed me like a child then I get to feed you like one too."

She brought her spoon to Kili's lips, and quirked her brow, challenging him not to take it. They both knew full well that if he did, he would be teased for being a child, and if he didn't he would be teased for being chicken.

"What's the problem lad, you chicken?" Dwalin challenged. Kili smirked and Rylee grinned, her grey eyes sparkling in the drizzling rain. Kili took the bite and was rewarded with the ribbing he expected.

Rylee looked up at Kili and noticed that he had a splatter of gravy on his bottom lip, she met his eyes and bit her lip, not sure if she should do what she wanted. Thorin was sitting just a few seats away. Kili was about to raise her spoon to give her another bite when she stopped him, "Hold on Kili, seems I missed some."

She leaned towards him and licked his bottom lip. Kili's heart nearly stopped, that was the sexiest thing she had done since she called herself naughty in the field. She was definitely acting it now. He growled lowly when she pulled away. How she did it, he didn't know, but with one singular act she made him want to pick her up and find a quiet place where he could ravage her. He watched her pull her tongue into her mouth and swallow, he lifted the spoon to her lips again and she took her bite. Before he could retaliate her tongue swept out and she licked away every drop of the thick gravy from her lips. The sight of her tongue on her lips was driving him to distraction.

Somehow the rest of the company went silent and it was just the two of them, until Bofur asked Rylee, "So, Rylee, how does Kili taste?"

"Varda's honeycakes, Nienna's Cram, and Yavanna's Lembas all rolled into one," Rylee whispered softly, meeting Kili's eyes. Those were her favorite treats and Rylee loved them almost as much as kissing Kili.

"I thought we were having stew," Nori quipped in return.

Gloin chuckled, "Apparently Rylee is having a feast."

"I want those recipes if Rylee is comparing them to kissing," Bombur said as they all watched the couple. Rylee and Kili were obviously lost in their own little world.

Rylee lifted her spoon back up for Kili to take a bite, watching him intently as he ate. She turned more to face him, keeping the bowl between them, as they each took turns feeding each other. If anything, Kili got even hungrier, less for food and more for her, but Thorin had them under watch. They both kept it up, feeding each other until the bowl was empty, or at least until Rylee refused to eat another bite and Kili was left with the rest. He didn't complain. She fed him the last spoonful and set the bowl aside. As soon as the bowl was out of her hands he swept her off of her feet.

They had a routine now, they both needed to use the latrine and then they would wash up before climbing into bed. He carried her in the general direction of the latrines, but as soon as they were out of sight from the camp Kili turned to go deeper into the forest.

"Where are we going Kili?" Rylee asked, her voice was hoarse from the fire.

"Anywhere we won't be seen," Kili whispered, sending shivers up and down Rylee's spine. "You should not have teased me like that Rylee, now all I can think about is kissing you."

"So kiss me, Kili," Rylee whispered in return. She threaded her hands into his hair and pulled his lips to hers.

Kili growled and lowered her legs, only to back her into a tree. He delved into her mouth seeking her tongue, mating it with his own, circling, dancing and teasing. He broke away from her to drop kisses along her jaw as he made his way to her earlobe, he nibbled lightly and reveled in the gasp of surprise as he pulled it into his mouth. He had one hand on her ribs, just below her breasts and the other was roaming her neck and throat. Rylee's weapons were back at camp, and the moment Kili realized that her whip was not wrapped around her waist he started pulling at the buttons on her jacket, only to come upon her heavy leather tunic.

"You wear too many layers," He growled at her, lifting his lips from hers, she was breathing hard, her soft lips were pink from their kiss. He pushed her jacket open and slid his hands up under her tunics seeking her warm skin underneath the layers.

"So do you," Rylee whispered softly looking up at him. She started pulling at the ties on his tunic as though in desperation. His eyes were dark with some sort of hunger and all she wanted was to allow him to devour her, but the company was so close by.

He picked her up and lifted her legs to wrap around his hips. They moaned in unison at the tight feeling of pressure against their clothing. Kili snapped his hips, pressing harder against her. Her eyes opened wide in shock, the sparks within flaring brightly. Her fingers were under the neckline of his tunic, gripping his shoulders, he could feel the flex and the sudden bite of her nails as she reacted to him. He repeated the movement just to watch her. This time a small moan escaped as the white light flared in her eyes.

"Do you feel it Rylee? Do you feel how much I want you?" Kili whispered grinding himself against her, as he pressed her tighter against the tree. Brushing his mouth against her ear, she began to shiver in his arms with every word he spoke and pulled him tighter against her. "I want to devour you, fill you, bury myself within you for days."

"Kili, please." She was begging him to ease the need he created in her. She was clutching his shoulders, her legs wrapped tightly around his hips, her feet hooked behind him. Her need for him was so great that she could barely think. The heady warmth that filled her threatened to light her on fire.

He finally loosened her clothing enough to glide his hands up her torso. She gasped as he grazed her ticklish spot near her ribs, and moaned his name as his left hand wrapped around her back, pulling her tighter against him. His right found her lush breast and she immediately bucked against him at the intimate contact, moaning quietly. "Mahal, you are unbelievable."

"Stop saying Mahal," Rylee admonished him, pulling his lips back to hers, persistent in her actions. She bit, licked, and nipped at his lips until he allowed her to deepen the kiss. Her tongue danced with his, almost in a battle of defiance, thrusting and swirling and parrying against each other for dominance. Rylee clutched him against her, unwilling to let him go, she needed something from him. When she broke the kiss, she gasped, "Kili, I need you."

"And I you, but when I take you, there will be no need for these layers, or armor. We will not be in a forest, in the rain, against a tree. We will be in a safe private place, and in a bed." Kili sighed with frustration, reluctantly pulling his hands from her clothes. Holding her against him, was the only thing he could allow for now, since Fili or Thorin would come looking for them. Just because they were starting a courting ritual didn't mean he could take what he wanted to. He still had to ask her to accept his courting braid. He was sure she would, but he wanted to time it just right, and so far there just didn't seem to be a good time. He wanted it to be special. "We can't be gone too long."

"I know. We should get back, it is getting pretty dark." Rylee sighed sadly. She unhooked her feet and lowered her legs. She straightened and adjusted her clothes, and refastened her jacket, as Kili adjusted his.

They did their business, cleaned up at the nearby creek that ran just south of their camp and then they returned. Kili piggy backed her the entire way. Fili was already under the covers of their bed, his eyes were closed but it was obvious that he was not sleeping yet. Kili lifted the covers and Rylee set herself down and crawled in beside Fili, placing her back to his. Then Kili settled himself next to her, as close as he could get without disturbing his brother. Rylee curled into him, her head was under his chin, her hands on his chest, and her one leg over his.

"I swear if either of you starts anything, I will dump a bucket of water on you," Fili's threat was ringed with amusement, but Kili knew that there was truth in that threat. He had done it before. He would do it again. Rylee had never asked about his past, she seemed to have no interest. He wondered why.

Kili looked down at Rylee curled against him and heard her even breaths, "I don't think you need to worry Fili, she is already asleep."

"You tire her out already?" Fili teased, he turned back to look at Rylee, his blue eyes glinting in the fading light, "You weren't gone that long."

"This time it was little more than a kiss," Kili whispered and smiled, wrapping his arms around his love, "just a sweet, sweet kiss."


	17. It's a Bugs Life

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Chapter 17

It's a Bug's Life

May 27 - 28

It was still raining when they woke and the rain did not let up until late afternoon. Everyone was glum due to the shortage of food. The deer, turkeys, and rabbits would be gone by dinner and they would need to hunt again the following evening if they were to eat at all, especially when Mikhaul's vegetable and apple bag was emptied the night before. Almost everyone in the Company had some gripe or another.

The only people not unhappy were Fili and Kili. Fili was happy because he woke up toasty warm against the little furnace that was Rylee. It had been days since he had been so warm during his sleep, the fact that she was made of fire definitely helped. Kili was happy because he woke up easing her out of one of her night terrors he hated that she woke in fear and it made him feel content that he could help comfort her. Once Rylee had the okay from Oin, she and Mikhaul took off ahead to find a place to bathe, promising to be back before nightfall. She was finally able to have her independence back, and she told Thorin that she intended to take full advantage of it.

Regardless of the rain they covered a great deal of distance that day. By Balin's calculations they could make the high mountain pass within the week, if they could keep this pace. They stopped only for a short lunch, more to stretch their legs and to water and feed the ponies, than for any necessity. Once they were back on the road Thorin kept the company moving until the sun began to settle into the horizon before he began to look for places to camp for the night. They finally came across the remains of an old farmer's cabin just as the rain subsided. "We will camp here for the night."

"Fili, Kili look after the ponies make sure you stay with them. Oin, Gloin get a fire going." Thorin ordered as he followed after Gandalf into the remains of the farm house. Fili dismounted his pony to start doing what their uncle asked.

Kili looked around, hoping that Rylee would return soon, that she would be able to find their trail. Even though she said nothing to Thorin, Kili hoped that she was not out hunting. When she did hunt, he could not help but worry about her. He fingered the cuff on his wrist, once again marveling at the workmanship and detail. Since she gave it to him, she was allowing him more time, and more intimacy. Her feet were healing nicely and Kili was almost sad that they were. He was rather enjoying carrying her around camp. Sometime packing her on his back and other times sweeping her up in his arms. Regardless he enjoyed the closeness it gave them. They sat together for hours the night before, relaxing in the warmth of her thick Werewolf cloak, and telling each other stories of their childhood.

Thorin looked around the farmyard at the debris that littered it. It looked quite overgrown, as though it had been a full season since the land had been worked. The house itself was little more than a shell. There was evidence of having been dismantled and torn apart, but at least it was shelter. The Company was weary, after several long dreary days on the trail all any of them really wanted was food and rest. They were finally in a place where they could dry out their belongings and find a decent night's rest.

"A farmer and his family used to live here," Gandalf said more to himself than to Thorin.

Why someone would farm way out here, Thorin could not fathom, the ground was overly rocky and would not be good for crops. There was once an area where a small family garden once grew, he could see the overgrown onions flowering on the edges, and a few potato plants. He would tell Bombur about them later. Looking around, he amended his first thought, it could be prosperous, depending on the type of farm. Perhaps it was a good place to raise sheep.

"I think it would be wiser, to move on," Gandalf told Thorin with an oddly disturbed look on his face, "We could make for the Hidden Valley."

Thorin ignored the odd look. At the mention of the Elves, Thorin's hackles began to rise. "I have told you already, I will not go near that place."

"Why not? The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice." Gandalf said trying to plead with the Dwarf Leader.

"I don't need their advice." Thorin growled back.

"We have a map that we cannot read, Lord Elrond could help us." Gandalf said, trying to talk sense to the stubborn dwarf.

"When a dragon attacked Erebor, what help came from the elves?" Thorin asked glaring up at the grey wizard. Old hurts lingered inside when he thought of the betrayal of the supposedly wise beings. How could they just turn their back on an entire people like that? What did the dwarves do to deserve such betrayal? "Orcs plunder Moria, plunder our sacred halls, the elves looked on and did nothing. You expect me to seek out the people who betrayed my grandfather, who betrayed my father."

"But you are neither of them," Gandalf told him sagely, "I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past."

"I didn't know they were yours to keep," Thorin said, the idea of someone trying to keep him from his birthright, from his homeland, it tore him apart on the inside.

"Then what of Rylee?" Gandalf tried one last time.

"What of her?" Thorin huffed, shooting a glare at Gandalf. The Wizard would try anything to get his way.

"She needs to contact Saruman. Lord Elrond can do that for her, he may also be able to give her news of her friends," Gandalf reminded him once again. The girl needed her memories back, she needed answers that neither he nor Thorin could provide to her. She needed happy news for once, so that she could finally let go of the past.

"There will be others out there who can give her what she needs," Thorin shook his head adamantly. "It need not come from the Elves. Surely you can contact Saruman on your own."

Gandalf sighed in frustration and walked away, leaving Thorin in the shambles of the farmhouse staring after him. There were times that Thorin wished he could just let it go, but he clearly remembered how it felt to watch the elves turn away in a time of their greatest need. Then when the survivors traveled to the Woodland Realm seeking refuge, they were turned away like vagabonds or vagrants, no boon of friendship or assistance was offered in any way. They were left to starve in the wild. He could not ask help of the elves, not after what they did. Though guilt did eat at him for Rylee's sake, the answers she needed might only be able to come from the Elves. Thorin growled in discontent, he would think on it.

"Is everything alright?" Bilbo asked his voice filled with great concern. Gandalf and Thorin were in the midst of another argument. Like usual it was probably about seeking the help of the Elves. Thorin was very sore about the way the Elves shunned the line of Durin. He would never willingly seek their help, no matter how much Gandalf tried to reason with him. Sure enough Gandalf began to stalk off. "Gandalf? Where are you going?"

"To seek the company of the only one around here who makes sense." Gandalf muttered more to himself than anyone else. Kili looked up from where he still sat on his horse, happily polishing his cuff, as he watched the exchange.

"And who might that be?" Bilbo asked confused. Was he going to find Rylee?

"Myself!" Gandalf growled angrily, "I have had enough of Dwarves for one day. The only one with reason has taken leave for a bath!"

Kili went perfectly still at that last statement. Rylee went ahead to have a bath? That instantly led to images of Rylee naked in a river, and that led somewhere else entirely. He looked at Thorin in frustration. His uncle told him she went to scout ahead, not take a bath! Why did Thorin feel he needed to lie to him? He knew that Rylee could take care of herself. He just worried about her, and it would be nice if he knew what she was actually doing.

"She is fine, Kili," Fili looked at him, seeing that his brother was about to go confront their very angry uncle. It would not bode well for Kili if he did that. "She is safer alone than in the company of others. She will be harder to track. Besides, who in their right mind would attack the Daughter of Mahal? She has been going off hunting, or burning, almost daily for the past five weeks, without injury."

"I trust her. I just worry, is all, I cannot help it. I just wish Uncle wouldn't lie to me about where she went off to," Kili replied as he slid off his pony. He took her to the where Fili was starting to gather them together, tethering them to the fences that were still standing and removing the packs for the night. He and Fili worked together as they curried the horses to keep them from getting saddle sores, and set them where they could graze in safety.

He could smell the meal that Bombur was cooking and he knew that it would be ready for them soon. It was odd that Rylee was not back, the sun would be down before too long. He looked at Fili and asked, "It will be dark soon. Do you think she is lost?"

"Worry not brother, I think she and that horse of hers are more than capable of finding our ragtag group of Dwarves. They do it every day, besides we make enough noise." Fili assured him with a grin.

"Aye, that we do, don't we?" Kili laughed slapping his brother on the shoulder. "Do you think she would accept my braid, if I asked her?"

"I am surprised you have not already asked her, you spend almost every moment of camp time with her. Why didn't you last night? You have her token, so you know she is interested," Fili asked in return. Kili was usually cock-sure and reckless. He was often quite forward and brash with the ladies, with Rylee he seemed to be more hesitant. It was almost like the girl scared him. Fili shook that thought away. Kili would never be scared of a mere slip of a girl.

"She is so different, and worldly, and strong, and defiant. She is wild and unruly. She is so completely independent. Not to mention magical. How does one protect and shelter a dwarrowdam that refuses to be held back from danger? One who can fend off a dragon?" Kili told him, his description of the little queen was perfectly accurate. He wondered when Kili became so astute.

"You follow the advice of a War Maiden. What is it that Grandmother Nisi always says to Thorin?" Fili asked looking at Kili for the answer.

"Grandmother says and I quote, 'I am a War Maiden, not a housewife. Keep me at your side or at your back, whilst in battle, but never behind you or beneath you. I am your equal, not a possession.'" Kili quoted to him from memory. The number of times they heard that growing up in the house with their Grandmother, they both knew it off by heart. Fili could imagine Rylee saying the exact same thing. "It does fit Rylee, but there is a whole other side to her. She is mischievous and amusing, and also soft, sweet, beguiling, and innocent."

Then Kili spoke so softly that Fili almost didn't hear him at all, "She terrifies me."

"Help me take this pile of bags to the trail so they are out of the way." Fili said indicating the pile of supplies yet to be picked up by the others in their company. He ignored Kili's quiet statement for the moment, considering the dwarrowdam in question was just as scared as his little brother, the pair would have to figure it out on their own. "Then we can get the ponies together so they are easier to count."

"Well you are no help at all," Kili grumbled as he picked up a couple of the heavy satchels and moved them into a place beside the trail where they could be easily found before going back for more. By the time they were done and ready to count, the sun was already below the horizon. "Fourteen."

"What?" Fili asked coming up beside him.

"I count fourteen." Kili repeated, looking around for the two missing ponies.

"That can't be right," Fili said looking at his brother in dismay, and then did a count of his own, "Fourteen."

"I told you that already." Kili replied looking at the ponies. He was completely perplexed, they were tethered. There was no way they could have just wandered off. They had to be around somewhere. Fili was scouting the far side of the paddock and Kili joined him, looking for any sign of where the ponies could have gone.

"What's the matter?" Bilbo came up with a couple bowls of soup. He was not used to seeing the brothers in such a situation, they were usually creating mischief, not at the receiving end of it, and for the two usually high spirited Dwarves, they were suddenly very unhappy.

"We're supposed to be looking after the ponies," Kili said looking over the area where the ponies were grazing. He was feeling more than a little perplexed.

"Only we have encountered a slight problem," Fili continued turning to look at the Hobbit and his brother. Thorin was going to kill them if they could not find those ponies.

"We had sixteen," Kili said as once again he did a count in his head of the small horses, trying to figure out which ponies were missing.

"Now there's fourteen," Fili finished his sentence. They would have no pack horses at all, and would have to spread the gear around to the other ponies, making them even slower. Thorin was already counting the days, trying to push them closer and closer to the Lonely Mountain as quickly as possible. Their days would be even longer. Fili was not looking forward to that.

"Daisy and Bungo are missing" Kili said as he walked through the camp counting yet again, but to no avail. The two ponies were still missing.

"Well that is not good," Bilbo said following after him, still carrying the bowls of food in his hands. He looked up to see where the Dwarf Princes were going, and saw the two large uprooted trees. This unfortunate turn of events was only getting worse. "And that is not good at all, shouldn't we tell Thorin?

"Uh, No, Let's not worry him," Fili said shaking his head looking at the trees trying to figure what exactly might have uprooted them. Whatever it was, it was big. He tried to ease the tension a little bit and teased Bilbo, "As our official burglar we thought you might like to look into it."

"Well, it looks like something big uprooted these trees," Bilbo stuttered, really not quite sure what he was supposed to do about it. He really didn't know much about the dangers of the road other than what he read in books. He definitely didn't know how to escape or defend himself from the dangers. He really didn't know what possible help he could be. He just wanted the pair to take their soup and let him return to the fire.

"That was our thinking." Kili said thinking that it was kind of obvious. Still a sense of foreboding fell on him, if the pampered Hobbit could figure that out, then it was not a good sign, and Fili's teasing was not helping the situation at all.

"Something very big and possibly quite dangerous," the Hobbit continued, as he looked at the massive amount of damage done to the trees. They were lucky that whatever took the ponies didn't crush or injure one of the others nearby. Fili turned away, and hunched taking a better look off to his left. A bright orange glow caught his eye.

"Look there, I see a light!" He motioned for Kili to go with him and went forward for a better look, "Over here, stay down."

They moved through the trees vying for a better look, they were crouched low behind some fallen trees. Bilbo followed, still holding the bowls of soup. He looked through the forest, but from his vantage point he could only see large shadows and the whisper of voices, "What is it?"

"Trolls," Kili said, as he listened to what was ahead, he would stake his life on it. He jumped over the log and dashed forward trying to get a better look at what they were dealing with. How many, how big, how many horses they had. He followed Fili through the bush towards the troll camp.

Bilbo trailed behind them. One of the vile creatures went past them, carrying two more of the ponies in his arms. The poor beasts were thrashing around in the troll's arms, trying to get free, getting slapped and flogged by the bushes as they went by.

Bilbo took a spot hiding behind a large tree stump, his Halfling body easily hidden from view. "He's got Myrtle and Minty! I think they're going to eat them, we have to do something."

"Yes you should," Kili whispered in agreement, taking a bowl of soup from the hobbit. All the while Bilbo protested, but Kili continued, not listening to him, "Mountain trolls are slow and stupid, and you are so small they will never see you. It's perfectly safe, we'll be right behind you!"

"If you run into trouble hoot twice like a barn owl and once like a brown owl," Fili said taking the other bowl from Bilbo's hands and pushing him forward towards the Troll fire. Fili looked at Kili and both ran back to their camp looking for Thorin and the others, eating their soup on the way. They needed weapons, and they needed the others, otherwise they would have a very dead Hobbit.

"Suddenly I am glad Rylee is not here," Kili said as they ran, "she has already contended with a drake, a werewolf, Orcs and Wargs, at least she isn't dealing with trolls."

"I would prefer if she was," Fili argued as they approached camp, "She has fought them in the past."

"Good point," Kili sighed in agreement, if there was anyone who could fight trolls and survive, it would be Rylee.

* * *

><p>"Rylee," a soft voice whispered into her mind, "Wake up."<p>

"Mikhaul?" Rylee asked quietly, as something nudged not so gently into her shoulder. She sat up and looked around. She was still at her camp. When she left Thorin that morning for a bath and some solitude she had not expected to run into a trio of Wargs with their matching set of Orcs. It was a hard fought and hard won battle that took the better part of an hour, and by the time she was finished with them, she was covered head to toe in blood. If she didn't need a bath before she definitely did after that.

They found the perfect spot, a natural hot spring, and set up camp. Rylee stripped, bathed, and washed her bloodied clothes and set everything out to dry. Then she did a burn, she wasn't creating anything, she just needed to feel herself be consumed by the flame. All alone it was an uplifting spiritual ritual, one in which she could reflect on her past, her present, and her future.

By the time she was done with the fire, she was exhausted. Yet she still climbed back into the hot pool, and let the naturally hot water soak away the tension in her muscles. It was an odd thing, being made of fire. She was never truly affected by the changes in temperature, and yet she could revel in the differences of the sensation of her skin. Being in the cold wet rain for several days on end made her feel very grateful for the steaming water of the hot pool. When she was done she crawled from the pool, dressed, and curled up in the grass by Mikhaul and fell into a deep sleep.

This was how they ended up racing through the forests, hills, and fields in the dead of night, trying to get back to the Company. While Mikhaul ran, Rylee thought about her meditation in the flames. It was probably the most pleasant fire cleanse that she had ever done, and it was simply a reflection of the good things and happy moments over her past quests. Meeting Fleet Took, and then Jovina were moments of blessings, meeting two of her closest friends. Then there was the night she met Galadriel, just the memory of their first meeting made her laugh. Why Galadriel liked Rylee so much Rylee would never know. It seemed that more often than not, whenever Rylee was near, Galadriel would wind up in some unlikely mess. Not that it was Rylee's fault. It just seemed that she was always there to see them.

Rylee could recall the many times the poor elleth ended up covered in something vile, only to laugh it off with such mirth and grace. There were even times that she got mouthfuls of whatever it was she landed in. Twice Galadriel ended up with mud in her mouth, some sort of cellar sludge, even horse chip residue once. Rylee winced, after everything that happened, Rylee wondered why Galadriel even sought her out.

"Do you remember Galadriel, Mikhaul?" Rylee asked her oldest and dearest friend.

"Of course, it is hard to forget the one person who always saw you for who you really were. Everyone else needed to be convinced, but she never did," Mikhaul nickered, as she ran. "She is the only Elf I know who calls you Rylee. Everyone else calls you Emitheral or Rúnyatári."

"That's just who she is. It didn't hurt that Lúthien told her all about how I helped her and Huan save Beren, even if I looked like a child at the time." Rylee said softly in reflection. "It's too bad that Lúthien was so far away when I was there to kill Glaurung, I would have loved to see her again."

"You told me that you and she had several mishaps on your way to rescue Beren," Mikhaul reminded her.

"Aye, she and I got off to a rocky start, but then she had been through a lot, and wasn't really interested in trusting strangers." Rylee sighed as she thought back to the time she spent on the road with Lúthien and Huan. "We did end up getting along really well though. It was just that first night."

"It seems to me, Rylee, that all of your first impressions are rather interesting," Mikhaul teased her softly. "From rescuing Dwarf maids from Werewolves, and tripping Doriath guards, you never did tell me how you and Galadriel met."

"And I won't be telling you that story, I was sworn to silence," Rylee admonished the great mare. After several minutes of silence she asked with a yawn. "Do you think we were missed Mikhaul?"

"You know Kili missed you, Fili too. He has become like family to you." Mikhaul suggested softly into her mind, "Thorin of course watches out for you. He loves you, even though he hides it from the others."

"I don't know about that. Thorin was my mentor, Eru told him not to get attached. The way he goes off about magic, it's a bit overbearing, at least he no longer argues with me about hunting," Rylee smiled at the thought. "Someday he may even forgive me for, you know, everything."

"He is also your guardian, and you know as well as I do, that Thorin broke Eru's rule more often than he followed it. He has been letting you go to burn Rylee, on a daily basis. I think it will just take him some getting used to your magic. Regardless, the rest of the company has become our friends, even that crusty Gloin. And Dori dotes on you almost as much as he does his brothers. Ori would write sonnets about you in that journal of his if you let him. Nori steals from everyone in camp except for you and Thorin, he respects you that much. Bombur adores you, he would adopt you just because you love his cooking," The rest of the company flashed through her mind as Mikhaul reminded her that they were all becoming her friends. "They will all worry, sunset has long passed, and we were supposed to return hours ago. I can't believe we fell asleep at that pool."

Rylee agreed. "I can't believe we fell asleep either, but swimming and bathing was worth it. I feel so much better than I did before, not quite so mangy."

"Right, because you looked like a rat took up nest in your hair and you smelled like a pigsty." Mikhaul teased her. Rylee never got quite that bad, she just preferred to be clean.

"Yeah, it was nice to be able to clean my hair. At least it doesn't feel quite as itchy as it was. I swear it grows out too fast." Rylee chuckled softly, "But you know as well as I do that it is not the smell that bothers me. It is that feeling of grittiness, oiliness, like things are sticking where they should not. That is what I mean by mange."

Rylee stayed low on Mikhaul's back as the great mare made her way through the forest as quickly as she could without stumbling over the uneven ground. They were in the foothills of the mountains and the terrain was much more rolling and uneven than it was in the previous weeks, making passage more and more difficult, especially in the darkness of the midnight sky. Mikhaul was racing through the darkness to get back to camp, once they were back on the main road they were able to go much faster. Even then it was nearing dawn before they came upon the glow of the camp fire inside the remains of an old farm house.

"Do you feel that? Why would they choose to camp here?" The house looked ravaged by monsters. It smelled of something darkly familiar to Rylee, her stomach clenched at the memory of it. The camp was empty other than bed rolls and only twelve of the ponies. The cooking fire was burning really low. "Something is wrong Mikhaul. They would never desert camp like this."

"Feel it! Can you not smell it? 'Tis downright rank! You are right Rylee, let us look for them." Mikhaul agreed, nickering softly nodding her great head.

"I smell it, Mikhaul, it smells horribly familiar, I do not like this one bit," Rylee couldn't help but shiver at the intensity of the darkness surrounding them but shook it off. "Okay let's look for them."

Rylee got off so it would be easier to search the woods, she looked over where the farmer's well once was and saw the fallen trees, then she saw several more. She followed them deeper and deeper into the forest. Suddenly the four missing ponies burst through the underbrush and ran towards Mikhaul, seeing the great steed they slowed and calmed. "What is it Mikhaul, what is going on?"

"Trolls. They got caught by trolls. Three of them. They call themselves, Tom, Burt and William. Daisy and Bungo were caught first and then Myrtle and Minty. Bilbo went to rescue them, but got caught. Then the Company went to rescue him and they are now caught too. What a bit of bad luck the Company is in without us." Mikhaul told her what the ponies saw.

"Damn it, I knew it smelled familiar. Well dawn is not far off, maybe we can rescue them. Can you show me who is who? There is power in knowing names," Rylee looked through the forest towards where the ponies came from. Mikhaul showed her the images the horses gave her along with the names of the ugly beasts. She went to go down the trail, when Mikhaul stopped her, worried about Rylee being caught and cooked by the hungry trolls. "I am going in, Mikhaul, I can't just leave them. I promise I will stay out of view until I can come up with a plan."

"Fine, but be quick, I will wait here until you come back," Mikhaul whickered softly. Rylee nodded and moved forward. She crept as silently as she could getting closer and closer to the bright fire. All of her hunting lessons with Oromë came swiftly back to her and she was able to creep quickly and quietly around the troll camp.

"Wait!" Bilbo cried out, struggling to get to his feet from within his sack, "You are making a terrible mistake."

"You can't reason with them, they're halfwits!" Dori yelled at Bilbo, trying to make him understand that they were doomed. 'Oh Dori,' Rylee thought, 'Ever the pessimist.' She smirked and looked around the Troll camp. This was just their kitchen. The trolls would have a hoard close by, a place where they could hide in daylight. The big cook was Bert, according to the ponies. The skinny high pitched troll with the vest was William, and the third chubby troll who took them was Tom.

"Halfwits?" Bofur countered in frustration, "What does that make us?"

Bilbo was finally standing in his sack trying to stall for time. What a brilliant hobbit, knowing that they would turn to stone in sunlight was something that few would know. Having fought mountain trolls in the past, Rylee was well aware of the fact. She looked at the several dwarves on the spit. Dwarves handled both heat and cold better than any other of Ilúvatar's children. She could tell they were overheating, but not anywhere near being cooked. That was good, they had a few minutes before damage would be done, not a lot of time, but it was time in their favor. They must have just gotten caught not too long before.

"Shut up, and let the, uh, flurgaburburrahobbit talk," Said Bert, trying to shush his companions.

"Uh, th – the secret to cooking dwarf is, um" Bilbo was stalling and Rylee was taking in the scene formulating a plan. The rest of her friends were tied up in sacks with only their heads sticking out of the top holes. Kili was amongst them as well as Fili and Thorin.

"Yes? Come on." Bert said trying to speed up the information about cooking Dwarves.

"It's, uh" Bilbo started. Their weapons were in a pile, it seemed to Rylee that the Trolls were able to find every single one of Fili's knives, and he was not looking overly happy about it. He was lying on his stomach, struggling to get loose.

Bert cut him off and Bilbo used it to his advantage to stall some more. "Tell us the secret."

"Ye - yes," Bilbo said trying to placate the massive beast. "I'm telling you, the secret is … to skin them first!"

Kili was beside Oin and near Thorin, Bombur and Gloin were with them, with Fili at their feet. The entire Company was shouting at Bilbo, and Rylee wasn't sure if their protests were helping or hurting the Hobbit's attempts to stall for time. Looking around the Troll camp, Rylee came up with a plan, but she would need help.

Rylee snuck back to Mikhaul, "Can you and the others create a diversion, run through as quick as you can, knocking things over? I will try to pull one of the trolls off his feet while you and the others keep the trolls stunned. Just try to keep from harming the lads. Right?"

Mikhaul nickered at the ponies and then sent Rylee a thought of them being frightened. "The ponies are spooked. They do not want to go back in there."

"Not even to get back at those nasty Trolls? Think of what fun they can have if they stampede through." Rylee suggested softly. "They won't get caught, I would never allow it. We just need to create chaos for a few minutes, and only on my signal."

Another few knickers and whinnies had the ponies convinced. Ryle headed back to the Troll camp and looked around and spied a couple of huge trees that would give her great advantage if she could climb high enough. She jumped to the lowest branch and began to climb, even if she could get above the smallest troll and take him out it would cause enough of a distraction until the sun rose above the rocks. She had to go slow, to make sure that the branches didn't rustle or shake too much as she got into position. William picked up Bombur ready to drop him head first down his throat when Bilbo stopped him.

"Not, not that one! He's infected." Bilbo said, Rylee had to stop the laugh that threatened, he was a bloody genius!

"He what?" Tom asked, looking at the little Hobbit in horror. Rylee was almost in position, one more branch. Her heart was pounding, sweat prickled and beaded on her skin and she could feel her lungs constricting. She needed to stay calm! The only problem was that she was on a height thrice as tall as Mikhaul's back and the angle to the ground was giving her vertigo. She breathed steadily, trying not to let the distance to the ground phase her, looking instead at the Trolls heads. She pretended that she was not holding on to a tree, that she was safe and secure on a low balcony. Perfectly safe.

"Yeah, he's got worms, in his, um, tubes." Rylee watched Bilbo with fascination, she could see him trying to think up something as quickly as he could that would stop the trolls from eating their friends. She met his eyes over the head of Bert as she quietly clicked the trigger on her whip. Bilbo's eyes widened with fear and worry. 'Keep going', Rylee mouthed as she controlled the end of the whip as it unraveled in order to keep it as silent as possible. William dropped Bombur back into the pile, making him land directly on Kili. She heard him grunt in pain at the sudden impact and could see him lying there in a sack with the others. "Yes, in fact they all have them. They are infested with parasites. It's a terrible business, I wouldn't risk it. I really wouldn't."

"Parasites? Did he say parasites?" Oin asked looking at Kili for confirmation.

"We don't have parasites! You have parasites," Kili cried in protest, obviously not catching on to what Bilbo was trying to accomplish. Bilbo sighed as the entire Company started crying out in denial. If it was not so dangerous, Rylee would have laughed. So far Bilbo was the only one to see her in the tree, and she wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible. Thorin saw Bilbo's sigh and she watched as the realization hit him. He kicked Kili making him instantly quiet his protests.

Suddenly the protests changed. Oin cried out at the Trolls, "I've got parasites as big as my arm!"

"Mine are the biggest parasites!" Kili yelled out in agreement, "I have huge parasites."

"What would you have us do then? Let 'em all go?" Tom asked Bilbo, at his contemplative look Rylee knew that the jig was up, she just needed a distraction. She whistled loud and sharp, the trolls turned in surprise, looking for the source of the noise.

"That is a brilliant idea!" Rylee called from her spot up in the three. "Tom, Bert and William, Trolls most vile and foul. I would suggest you let them go."

"And who… are you?" Bert looked up at her, a greedy look in his good eye.

"How's she know our names?" William cried.

"I am Wolfsong, Firebrand and Dragon's Bane," Rylee said as she lit her whip on fire, her voice filled with power. "I am the Blood Queen and I command you to let my friends go."

"The Blood Queen is a myth!" Bert scoffed at her. William and Tom, however cowered back in fear. To prove his point Bert reached for her, and Rylee flicked the fiery whip, a scorching burn slashed across his face. He screamed in pain and turned away covering his face.

"Death shall come to you by flame and stone!" Rylee yelled at them. There was a pounding sound coming from the direction of the farmer's house, and a rumbling could be felt in the ground. Thorin could feel something coming.

"What is that sound!" William screeched in alarm and the thundering approached. Whatever it was, it was coming quickly.

"Stampede!" Kili yelled as the ponies began to thunder all around them, knocking over a keg, and tripping the Troll on the far side of the fire. The dwarves on the ground did their best to move away from the racing ponies, keeping their feet and legs away from the sharp hooves of the beasts. The horses began to purposely push the stakes that were holding up the spit.

"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf said as he came over the stone. The spit began to lean precariously. The Dwarves started to wiggle more and more to help it drop.

"Who's that?" Bert asked. Mikhaul kicked him in the bottom, pushing him toward the fire. He screamed as his foot collided with the hot coals, his knees knocking the spit even closer to the ground.

"I have no Idea." Tom answered as he looked around at the mass confusion. Bert stepped back out of danger from the ponies, closer and closer to Rylee's tree, she just needed him a little closer.

"Can we eat him too?" William asked. One of the ponies bumped Bert sending him back. Perfect!

"Over my dead body!" Rylee yelled in anger, her whip flashed out wrapping around Bert's neck. He screeched as the fire on the whip burned into the muscles of his shoulders, back and neck. She flicked the blade and jumped from the tree using her body weight to haul the troll onto his arse. There was a slick flicking sound as she pulled her arm and blades sliced deep into the troll's neck. Another flick pulled the whip away so she could spin back at the monster if he came after her. He screamed and lurched forward, his blackish blood gushing down his thick skinned chest. At the same time there was a massive crack and the stone Gandalf stood on fractured in half splitting down the middle, one side falling away. The sun shone brightly through the broken pieces, hitting the trolls and turning them all to stone. Rylee closed her eyes against the flaking of flesh and the dust of stone.

When she opened her eyes she was nose to nose with the stone troll, his hand was only mere inches from grabbing her. She sighed in relief. That was much too close for comfort. She looked at the whip wound on the Troll, if she had just a little more leverage she would have taken his head. Rylee looked at her whip and sighed in disgust, she would need to soak it to get the blood and gore out of it. She curled it up, careful not to get any of the blood on her clean clothes then propped it on the ground against some rocks. She just bathed. The last thing she wanted was to get all dirty again. The dwarves on the spit called for her to help them, all but Dwalin, who realized that if she neared the fire she would only make their situation worse, not better. "She can't you fools, the flames will rise!"

Ignoring them, she grabbed one of her throwing knives from her ankle and walked over to the Dwarves in the bags on the ground. While Gandalf took care of Bilbo and Fili, she sliced through Bombur's and Oin's bags first and they went to help the others off of the spit. Finally she got to Kili, he looked at her with something akin to amazement. "You nearly took his head clean off!"

"Yes, that would have been the point." Rylee said as she placed her knife at the knot in the bag. "Hold still, I don't want to cut you."

Rylee sliced through the rope and helped him push the cloth off his shoulders and freed his hands. He itched to pull her into his lap and hold her there, thankful that she was unharmed. He looked her over realizing that other than a few flakes of stone dust, she was still fresh from her bath. Her hair was glistening brightly, her long dark waves were even glossier, and looked even softer if it was even possible. She wore clean clothes, the black leather with red and silver bead work. She smelled glorious all he wanted was to bury himself in her for days.

She was so glad he was okay. Rylee wanted to curl up in his lap and hold him close, just to assure herself that he was indeed all right. Instead, she offered her hand to pull him to his feet. She touched his cheek and met his eyes, silently asking if he was uninjured. He brushed his lips over hers in response. Rylee stepped away before they could deepen the kiss, keeping it simple, considering Thorin was right behind Kili. After their shenanigans with the stew the other night, Thorin was even more watchful than before, it was a good thing he knew nothing of their adventure into the forest.

"Have you done that before Rylee?" Fili asked as he pulled Thorin to his feet.

"What, taken down a troll?" Rylee asked in kind, as she stepped away from Kili and picked her whip up from the ground, "Or tried to use my whip to behead something?"

"Uh, both?" Kili looked at her strangely before meeting Fili's glance, both of them nodding.

"Aye, I find my whip works better on them than any axe or sword." Rylee nodded as she moved away grabbing a cloth so she could start cleaning her whip. "Their skin is too thick to penetrate otherwise. Might have something to do with the Blood Mithril, remember?"

"Where were you Rylee? You were supposed to be back by sundown, not sunrise," After spending half the night alternating between being glad that she had not returned and worried about her welfare, he was more than happy to hear her sharp whistle and see her attack from the tree. Between her and the hobbit they made enough of a distraction to get them out safely. Not that he would admit that the Hobbit did anything but blunder about.

"I got caught up by some fiends and then went to burn. We found a natural hot spring and between that and my fire cleanse, I was exhausted and we passed out. It was well after midnight before Mikhaul woke me up." Rylee explained feeling a little embarrassed as she realized that she had never broken curfew before. She ran away from home once, but that was Ages ago. "I am sorry, Ugshar, I did not mean to worry you."

"Yet you did," Thorin said lowly, raising his eyebrow. "Do not let it happen again."

"Well I wasn't planning on it," Rylee returned with a sneer, "Besides, if this is what happens when I am not here, it is best that I remain with you. You lot get into far too much trouble on your own. Walking into a Troll camp, you can smell the beasts a mile away."

Thorin met her eye and with a small smirk he turned away from the trio. She was younger than his nephews and had more battle experience. "Watch your cheek, Rylee. Come help us find the hoard."

"It is to the north, Ugshar," Rylee grimaced, completely unwilling to look for the Troll hoard. She ventured into only one in all of her lives, and she never wanted to repeat the experience. "Follow your nose."

"I was so happy to see you in that tree," Bilbo said as he came up beside her. A happy smile was plastered on his face. "I was so sure that we were done for."

She was about to hug him when she saw the remnants of troll slime on him and instead patted him on his shoulder, "I would hug you, but you are covered in Troll snot. Have fun getting that out of your clothes. The stuff is vile and disgusting. Worse than slough goop, or mud, though not quite as bad as dragon's blood."

"Ugh, it is awful. I would love to have a bath," Bilbo blushed in embarrassment.

"Perhaps, if we have time, I can show you gents to this really nice hot pool I found a few miles up the road." Rylee said with a soft sigh. Remembering the warm water and the hours of lounging and how much it eased her aching muscles. She brushed the thought away, "You were brilliant, Bilbo, to stall for time like that. You have quite a bit of nerve."

"Yes, well, they did come to rescue me after all. I had to do something to return the favor." Bilbo said as he watched the momentary bliss fade from her face. Whatever she was remembering must have been wonderful.

"Well, then you are even, I would say." Rylee told Bilbo as the Hobbit walked away to join Balin for a moment.

She turned and walked back to the camp to see if she could find a source of water to clean her whip. Leaving Kili and Fili staring after her in shock, both of them chased her down. Walking on either side of her, they looked at her as she quickly examined the tiny blades on the whip. "Damn troll skin, I am going to have to soak this to get it all off."

"How long were you in that tree?" Fili asked her as they walked along.

"Not overly long, thankfully. I am not fond of heights," Rylee said softly, looking up at his curious face. "Just long enough to get in to position and wait for a moment to signal Mikhaul."

"How much of that did you hear?" Kili asked, suddenly appalled that she might have heard him say he had parasites.

"I arrived right about when Bombur was about to be eaten." Rylee grinned at him. "Exactly how big are your parasites? And just what shall we do to treat them, Kili? I truly hope they are not contagious."

"Oh, Mahal!" He groaned covering his face in mortification. It was then they heard Thorin call for everyone to search around for a Troll cave. Fili and Kili moved off to do as requested, Kili moaning to Fili about worst timing in the world.

"Aye but watching her take down that Troll was amazing, you have to admit." Fili said staunchly.

"She was very ferocious," Kili agreed with true admiration. "You should have seen her with the Drake, spectacular."

"I swear you two are the most amusing males I have ever met." Rylee chuckled quietly as she walked over to the well and pulled up a bucket of water. She poured it slowly over the chain of her whip, making sure not to splash, finally rinsing away the bits of blood and flesh that still clung to the fine blades. Using both her cloth and three buckets of water, she cleaned away the flesh from the whip. When she was satisfied it was clean again, she moved to wrap it back around her waist.

"May I see that before you put it back on?" Dwalin asked looking at the whip. He smelled of a troll horde. She couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at him.

"You smell of Troll, Master Dwalin." Rylee said as she met his dark gaze and handed him the handle of the whip. Rylee liked him. He was a quiet man, solid, proud and quite smart. He was a very battle minded warrior.

"If you don't like the smell of troll, then I suggest you stay out of that hole. It is worse on the inside." He turned the whip over in his hands, reading the runes moving the rings of metal. He flicked it out and released the catch for the blade. Chuckling in amusement, he then checked the sharpness. "It is very cleverly made. Intricate beyond anything I have ever seen."

"Small fingers to do delicate work," Rylee wiggled her fingers at him. Her small hands were encased in her fingerless gauntlets, making her fingertips look much smaller than they really were.

"Very effective in mid range," Dwalin said handing it back, "All of your weapons are faultless. I would like to see more of your work sometime."

"If I ever have the time to work a forge Master Dwalin, I might make you a blade." Rylee said honestly. She really missed her forge, when the stress became too much or she needed time to think, she liked to make weapons. They helped her to focus. The burning that she was able to do on the road was not enough, and she didn't have the tools needed to make what she wanted.

"I could use a new dagger," Dwalin said with a small smile and a light twinkling in his eyes, "I can always use a new dagger."

"I thought that might be the case," Rylee grinned at him, "I have been coming up with ideas already."

She wrapped the whip around her waist and wandered back to the group just as they were coming out of the stinky cave. Even as far away as she was it reeked. Thorin, Gandalf and Bilbo each held a new weapon in their hands. She recognized the scabbards; they were First Age, High Elven blades. She wondered briefly what swords they were, if she knew the sword smith. Elihara was talented enough to make scabbards like those, but they were not her style. Elorin could make a blade almost as well as Rylee could. She was saddened as she thought about the loss of life in Gondolin. Damn Dragons.

"Something's coming!" Thorin called out, Rylee instinctively reached for her axes. She didn't feel anything dark at the moment. Now that the Trolls were dead, the familiar chill of darkness had ebbed away.

"Hurry now! Arm yourselves." Gandalf called. Everyone ran towards where the noise was coming from, prepared for battle.

"Thieves, fire, murder!" A strange yet familiar voice called out.

"Radagast! Radagast the Brown!" Gandalf said as a long sled pulled by a bunch of rabbits pulled to a stop within the Company. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you Gandalf," Radagast said leaning over to whisper conspiratorially, "There is something terribly wrong."

"Yes?" Gandalf asked looking at the brown wizard with an aura of unease. Rylee took a moment to look upon the wizard. Like Gandalf, Radagast had aged greatly, and his peculiarity was even more exceptional than it was when he lived in Aman. She tried to look past the bird feces caked on the side of his head, spattering down to his shoulder through his uncombed hair.

He tried to say something for a long moment, his eyes quick and bright before they became quite confused and rattled. "I had a thought and then I lost it. It was right there on the tip of my tongue."

There was a moment of realization and suddenly he said with his mouth full, "Oh! It's not a thought at all, it's a silly old stick insect!"

"Oh dear! Parasites and stick insects!" Rylee started to laugh putting her axes away on her back. Kili looked at her in horror as she laughed heartily. She passed the brown wizard and patted him kindly on the shoulder as she approached. "Aiwendil! It is wonderful to see you again, old friend!"

"Rylee Emitheral! It cannot be! I have not seen you since you left Aman! Are you here to slay the last dragon?" Radagast asked as he grabbed her hand pulling her to a stop.

"Aye, I am afraid so." Rylee said softly, looking at him with a note of surprise. Of all people she saw here, he was the only one who knew of her purpose without her having to explain, other than Gandalf of course. It must be some sort of instinct on his part. "Or at least aid in any way that I can. This will be my final quest."

"Is Mikhaul with you?" Radagast asked his eyes sparkling in merriment at the thought of seeing the magnificent bearded mare. Rylee quirked an eyebrow at him and she grinned as he did, "Of course, silly of me, she is wherever you are, my dear lass."

"She has missed your treats, Aiwendil, I suspect she has missed you, but she will not admit it. Not even to me." Rylee grinned. She took in the aged Istari form of Radagast. As a Maia he was just as short, but thinner and less unkempt. Normally he would wear an ochre colored tunic and thin green robes over black breaches. The only thing that remained of Yavanna's Maia was his kindly hazel eyes. "I just cannot get over the difference of you and Gandalf, so very different in this form."

"Well we could not rightly keep our spirit forms now, could we? We would frighten those we seek to aid if we did that!" Radagast smiled at her, releasing her hand as a cloud of confusion washed over his face.

"I will leave you to talk to Gandalf, it seems you have much to discuss," Rylee said, pointing the addled brown wizard in the direction of the tall grey wizard who awaited him. Then she turned to join the others standing watch over the campsite and more importantly to Kili's side. She really didn't mean to slight him earlier, she just wanted to clean her weapon properly before the meat solidified on the blades.

"What do you mean your final quest?" Kili looked at her. His usually laughing eyes were somber and worried.

"I mean this will be my last life," Rylee told him softly, taking his hands in hers. "Once my quest is done, if I die, I return home to Aman. I won't be coming back."

"Rylee-," Kili started, holding her hands tighter.

"It is as it should be Kili, if I die, I don't want to come back to another time or place," She looked up at him, clutching his hands in her own. "It would break my heart, because the only place I want to be is with you."

"What exactly are you saying Rylee?" Kili asked her, pulling her closer to him. If she was saying what he thought she was saying, Mahal, he would-.

"No!" Rylee cried out as she felt the intrusion of something dark hovering close by. She looked at Kili her eyes widening with worry, never before had the darkness come so close to the Company, and never at such speed. "There is something coming, Kili! Something dark! It approaches quickly!"

There were howls close by. Rylee and Kili stiffened in unison.

"Wargs," She whispered quietly, her hands instinctively reaching back for her axes again.

"Are those Wolves?" Bilbo asked his eyes going wide in fear.

"No. Those are not wolves," Bofur said looking around the group, his eyes growing wide with fear.

There was a snarl above them and a Warg ran down the slope toward them. Rylee threw her first axe as it leapt off the rocky embankment right at them. It embedded itself in the Warg's head and the beast crashed to the ground beside Nori. Thorin gave a second hit with a bright silvery sword severing its neck. Another Warg came down behind Thorin and Kili raised his bow taking a shot. The massive beast fell to the side and Dwalin finished it off with his axes. Rylee grabbed her axe out of the head of the first beast wiping the blood off on the dead thing's fur.

"Warg scouts," Thorin said as he pulled his new Elven sword out of the Warg's flesh. "Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."

"Orc pack?" Bilbo asked his eyes widened in fear.

"I don't understand," Rylee said to Thorin and Gandalf, "They have never come so close to the Company before. The ones tracking me, they keep their distance until I am alone."

"I don't think they are after you Rylee," Radagast said looking at her, and then at Thorin, "They were trying to attack him."

"Who did you tell of your quest? Other than your Kin who did you tell?" Gandalf asked Thorin angrily. He stepped forward with aggression, and Rylee wondered what it was that Radagast had to say that would set Gandalf off like that. It could not be very pleasant news.

"No one!" Thorin protested angrily, he looked at Gandalf like he was going crazy. Then he remembered their meeting at the Prancing Pony months before. There was a price on his head. The Orcs would undoubtedly be interested in the prize money. Still he told no one.

"Who did you tell?" Gandalf yelled it this time. Rylee's hackles rose steadily, something was really not right with this whole situation.

"No one! I swear it!" Thorin yelled back in earnest. "What in Durin's name is going on?"

"You are being hunted." Gandalf said looking around in worry.

"This is my fault!" Rylee said looking up at Thorin, concern darkening her eyes. "Mikhaul and I noticed something following when we left for my bath yesterday. We killed them, but there may have been more. I must have led them to the Company on our way back, but I swear neither Mikhaul nor I sensed anything following us."

"We have to get out of here," Dwalin said looking at Thorin and the rest of the group in worry.

"We can't, we have no ponies! They bolted!" Ori said as he came over the outcropping of rocks, Bifur following closely behind him.

"I will draw them off," Radagast offered looking up at Gandalf.

"As will I," Rylee said, Kili grabbed her wrist and looked at her in worry. She met his worried gaze and said adamantly, "If they are after me, I will not risk you and the others, for myself. I will help draw them away."

"But the ponies are gone!" Kili reminded her trying to keep her with him. He could not stand the idea of her being apart from him when there was danger so close by.

She smiled up at him reassuringly, "Mikhaul never runs off. We will be fine, you stay safe."

"Rylee!" Kili tried again and got the flash of an anger filled frown in return. Her eyes sparked with white fire, he stepped back. "Just be careful, please Rylee."

"Stop worrying so much Kili," Rylee growled softly, for his ears only. She placed her hands on his cheeks and put her forehead against his. "Stay out of trouble, Kili, I will do the same. Mikhaul and I will find you later."

Kili kissed her, he wanted to ask her to accept his braid, he wanted to claim her and let the world know that he cared for her. "Do not fight them Rylee, just lure them away."

"I cannot make that promise, Kili," Rylee shook her head slowly, "This is a battle, and I will fight if I must."

"Those are Gundabad Wargs they will outrun you." Gandalf turned looking down at both Rylee and Radagast, thinking that what they were offering was a fool's mission, they would get themselves killed.

"These are Rhosgobel Rabbits," Radagast said with a bit of an impish smile "I'd like to see them try."

"Gundabad or not, Mikhaul is faster than Werewolves, she can easily outrun Wargs," Rylee grinned at the brown wizard.

"I am game," Mikhaul said into their minds as she stepped out of the darkness of the forest, beside a massive boulder. The Dwarves stepped away from the massive horse. There were only two of Rylee's packs on her back, one for her bedroll the other for her personal effects. She was carrying a much lighter load than the last time they saw her. "Let's do this, shall we?"

"I have always loved that creature," Radagast sighed upon seeing Mikhaul. Out of one of his many pockets he pulled out a treat for the great horse and Mikhaul took it happily, nudging the brown wizard affectionately on the shoulder, completely unaffected about the bird excrement caked on the brown wizard's face.

Rylee hauled herself up onto the great mare, "Get your things ready to go. We will keep them busy for as long as we can."

"Are you certain you want to do this Rylee?" Thorin looked up at her, his face was stoic as always but his eyes spoke of concern and Rylee reached down and touched his cheek with her hand. His hand covered hers.

"Aye, Ugshar, I will do what I can to keep the Company safe," Rylee met his eye and said with determination, "Orcs and Wargs never know what to make of me, so I will be safe enough. You just get everyone to safety and I will catch up with you later."

"You keep her safe, Mikhaul," Thorin said softly as he looked at the horse putting his hand softly on her muzzle, "and you, be safe too. Go with speed."

"And you Thorin," Mikhaul returned into his mind, "Keep the Company safe. Rylee needs you all, you have come to mean the world to her."


	18. Chasing Tails

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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**I am not sure why, but this chapter feels really big to me, when really it is average in size. I think it's because it is so full of action.**

Chapter 18

Chasing Tails

May 28

The company was ready to go. With their belongings packed and piled onto their backs all they needed was their distraction. Radagast hopped onto the back of his sled and yipped at the rabbits to go. Rylee and Mikhaul gave immediate chase. They were right on the tail of Radagast's sled as they rushed through the trees and out into the open rocky fields.

The Orc pack picked up their trail and dashed after them, following the sled and the horse as they raced away from the others.

"Come and get me!" Radagast cried, taunting the Wargs as they took after him. The massive brown rabbits were racing across the rocky fields and Mikhaul was keeping pace. Both Rylee and Mikhaul knew very well that they could go faster but that was not the point, they were acting as decoys.

"It has been too long Aiwendil!" Rylee laughed as she and Mikhaul pulled up beside the sled.

Radagast agreed, "It has been a long time since I chased the pair of you through the fields."

Thorin waited just long enough for Rylee and Radagast to catch the attention of the Wargs and Orcs before they made their move. As a group the Dwarves followed Gandalf out of the forest and into the rocky plains. Kili ran with the others from rock formation to rock formation, all the while worrying for his One and her horse. Damn it! Rylee was his One! This was not a good time for the realization to hit him, it made him immediately feel sick to his stomach with worry. It was made all the worse when he saw the pair with the brown wizard, leaping over boulders with Wargs at their heels. Mikhaul snapped her back hooves into the teeth of a few Wargs as they came too close to the wizard and then sped up to move slightly ahead of the sled. If they could go faster why weren't they? Was it to keep the little wizard safe?

It didn't take Rylee long to realize that the Orcs and Wargs were not after her and Mikhaul, they were most definitely interested in Radagast, and they were sniffing and seeking out the Dwarves the entire time. There was only one thing that Rylee could do to keep their attention. The one thing she knew for certain that they would hate. She unclipped her whip, allowed it to uncoil and let the bright mithril trail on the long grass below them. Rylee twisted in the saddle, "Keep Radagast safe Mikhaul, I am going to make some new friends."

"Come on!" Gandalf called out as they ran in yet another direction to yet another rock formation. He was leading them quickly over the rough terrain and seemed to be searching for something in particular. Whatever it was, Kili hoped that he found it quickly. There were more Wargs and Orcs than even they anticipated. Rylee was certain that they were after her, but they seemed to be focusing more on the wizard than her and Mikhaul. He watched in horror as once again they dropped behind so that Mikhaul could kick her back legs into another Warg's side as it went after Radagast. He saw the flash of Rylee's whip as it flashed over the tops of the Orc's heads. The crack of the whip could be heard for miles.

Mahal! They were purposely instigating a fight! Rylee was in so much trouble when he saw her next. Worry and fear for them clung to Kili as he ran with the group. They ran to the next outcropping as fast as their feet could carry them and then had to change directions as Mikhaul and the Rhosgobel's swerved around a massive rock to avoid another party of Wargs. There were even more than before, where were these creatures coming from? It was a war party and the entire company was easily outnumbered three to one.

"Stay together!" Gandalf yelled as they ran for yet another set of massive boulders. The clutch of dwarves began to separate under the burden of their packs. Several were lagging behind, winded and exhausted from no sleep.

"Move!" Thorin ordered, trying to get the group to catch up to the grey wizard as he ran from boulder to boulder, seeking the safest paths. The horse, rabbits, and their riders swept past with the Wargs following close behind, Rylee with her whip working the creatures into an angry frenzy. Ori made to continue on and Thorin just barely hauled him back yelling, "Ori, no! Come Back!"

Gandalf waited for the danger to pass before running off in another direction, towards another outcropping. The gate had to be nearby, he could feel the tremors of magic, "Come on! Quick!"

"Where are you leading us?" Thorin asked Gandalf and rolled his eyes when he once again did not get an answer. The wizard took off once more over the rough terrain and towards another tall boulder rising out of the grass lands. The Company had little choice but to follow since Gandalf was their guide.

"Aiwendil! This way!" Rylee called to him. Twice now he had moved direction too close to the running dwarves. They needed to get the Orcs away and off the scent of the Dwarves. Aiwendil swerved to follow her and the Wargs and their riders followed him, all but one pair. It moved off, finding a scent. Damn it! Damn it all to the Timeless Void! Rylee didn't slow, she could not, and all she could do was hope that the Company could finish that pair quickly and quietly.

"Why the hell is Gandalf weaving through the rocks? He is going in every damn direction!" Rylee asked Aiwendil as they swerved once again away from the teeth of the Wargs. There was no rhyme or reason to Gandalf's actions as far as she could tell.

"He's looking for the Hidden Pass to Imladris!" Aiwendil called to her over the thundering of many feet.

Hope bloomed in Rylee's chest. They might just come out of this alive. She hoped that Gandalf was successful, wherever the gate was she hoped he found it soon. The rest of the Orcs and Wargs continued after them as they tried to keep them away from the Dwarves long enough for Gandalf to lead them to safety. The only thing keeping the enemy on their tail was Radagast and the rage she was inducing with her whip. These creatures didn't want her. It was like they had a different task, one that indeed centered on Thorin and the Company.

The Warg and its rider was on top of the rock that they were hiding behind. They could hear it above them sniffing them out. It would not be long before the others were called to their hiding place. Thorin looked at Kili's bow and indicated for him to take a shot. He notched an arrow, took a breath, stepped out and aimed at the Warg. It jumped at the last second, taking the shot in its right flank instead of the chest where he aimed it. The Orc was about to blow his horn to alert the others when Kili took another shot and it hit the Orc high and to the right. They fell but did not go quietly.

They were back up within seconds ready to attack, roaring and screaming their battle cries. Dwalin attacked the Orc, fighting it back with his war hammer while Thorin and Bifur took down the Warg. The Orc put up a fight, his screams echoed over the plains and they could hear the howls and growls of the rest of the pack. Once the Warg was dead Thorin and Bifur helped Dwalin put an end to the Orc.

The great chase was at an end as Rylee heard the screams coming from the stray Warg and rider. The Orcs stopped behind them, looking back in the direction of the others. Rylee's heart stopped. "Go Aiwendil! We will give them cover!"

The wizard and his rabbits moved along quickly and Mikhaul and Rylee turned back giving chase to the Wargs. She raced into the din, whip flashing. The Wargs on the outskirts looked at her in confusion. She smelled like an ally, like werewolf, dragon, and darkness. Rylee laughed.

Whip flashing she split through the torso of one Orc as Mikhaul smashed at the Warg with her steely hooves. Blood sprayed up and over them as the whip flicked around them. At the obvious danger the Wargs moved off and she could see them fanning out, away from her, circling her friends as they went.

She and Mikhaul chased down the next threat. There was a bow man, aiming at Kili! Rylee growled in anger and her protective instincts raged within her. No one was going to harm her One. Rylee pointed him out and growled, "That one Mikhaul, that one is next!"

"Move! Run!" Gandalf yelled leading them once again, over hills, around rocks and through valleys. They ran as fast as they could but the beasts were closing in and they were starting to circle. Off in the distance he could see Radagast disappear into the safety of the forest. Rylee and Mikhaul swung back around and jumped immediately into battle. He watched for a second in confusion as the Orcs made wide girth away from Rylee and Mikhaul, not at all interested in her as their enemy, even though she was attacking them.

Gloin pointed out a group of ten Wargs and their riders circling in their direction, "There they are!"

"This way, quickly!" Gandalf yelled leading them onward. They could still make it, he could feel the brush of power getting stronger, they were close to the Elven Gate he could feel it. He just needed to find the right stone marker. They ran as far as they could before they were cut off from the other side by another even larger pack circling around them.

"There's more coming!" Kili yelled at his uncle, waiting for instruction. He still had his bow in hand, and an arrow ready, he just needed to know if they were running or standing their ground. He turned just in time to miss seeing a Warg pounce at Mikhaul, hauling Rylee to the ground.

"Kili shoot them!" Thorin ordered. He knew full well that Kili's bow was the only thing that really stood a chance at keeping the horde of Orcs at a distance until they regrouped. Kili did exactly as requested and began firing at the Orcs, shot after shot. Thorin could see Rylee in the distance fighting off a massive black Warg.

Rylee felt the breath leave her chest, but she refused to stay down, jumping back to her feet as the Warg turned on her. Whip still in hand, she slashed but the beast was too close for her to use it effectively. It rushed at her again and she rolled away grabbing her axes as she moved. She swung them out, the red blades catching the light. With a war cry she ran at the massive beast, meeting it in the field, embedding her blades deep into the creature's skull. She turned to see an Orc approaching quickly, she sneered at it and swung her black coated axes, daring it to attack. It stopped suddenly and she screamed in rage and ran at it. It swung its dagger at her head and she slid on her back between his legs, plowing both axes into his groin. The Orc fell to his knees and Rylee jumped to her feet and spun, swinging her axe out, removing his head.

There was a flurry of activity and Thorin lost sight of Rylee in the action. He brushed away the distracting emotions as he worried briefly for her safety, she was a warrior, and this was what she was trained for. A swell of pride rose through Thorin, in the past eighty two years he helped raise and train three strong warriors.

"We're surrounded!" Fili yelled as he turned back to where the Wargs and Orcs were coming from. The company began to back up, grouping closer and closer together, weapons drawn, as the Orcs slowly stalked them, hunting them down and herding them together like they were animals. Kili let off a shot hitting an Orc square in the chest, the Warg underneath him roared in anger as its rider fell.

"Where's Gandalf!" Kili yelled looking for any aid. He saw Rylee standing on the ground stowing her axes. Mikhaul galloped past her and as she swept by, he was relieved to see Rylee pull herself back on top of the big horse. Moments later her whip lashed out once again.

"He's abandoned us!" Dwalin cried out, his voice filled with frustration.

"Hold your ground!" Thorin ordered to the Company as the Wargs began to close in. It seemed that every time they ran in to trouble the Wizard pulled a disappearing act. He was leading them somewhere so maybe he was still close by. Until they knew where Gandalf went they needed to stay where they were.

They gathered together, Kili was still shooting off arrow after arrow trying to give them time. He could see Rylee riding closer and closer, her whip flashing out to slice off the head of a distant Orc as Mikhaul's steely hooves crashed down on the Warg he was riding. His heart nearly stopped when he saw her, she was covered in black gore. Her whip was flashing, black Warg blood spraying up and out in every direction as he heard her issue another battle cry as she went after another Orc and its mount.

"This way you fools!" Gandalf roared from behind a great rock, he found the entrance and was halfway down the path before he realized that the Dwarves were not with him. He shook his head and met Thorin's eye before dropping back down into the entrance of the hidden gate. The dwarves turned back to see Gandalf drop into a hole hidden in the ground.

"Come on move! Quickly all of you! Go, go, go!" Thorin yelled. The Company scrambled back towards the rock. One at a time the dwarves disappeared from view. Kili just needed to give them more time. Rylee and Mikhaul were cutting down another Warg and rider. Thorin lashed out at a Warg that drew too close, killing it just in time to allow more of the company to jump into the hole. He could hear Gandalf below counting off the dwarves as they came down.

"Nine, ten," Gandalf's voice carried upwards. Fili, Kili and Thorin were the only ones left above ground. Thorin indicated for Fili to jump into the crack and turned back to Kili.

Rylee saw them coming, the Elves, and was never so happy to see them in any of her lives. She returned to the fight full throttle, trying not to feel sick as she watched Kili fire arrow after arrow at the Orcs. He seemed so far away from everyone else. All she could do was take down as many of the vile creatures as possible until the Elves arrived. There was another archer aiming for Kili. She looped her whip, hung it on the pommel of her saddle, and grabbed her axes. She pointed it out to Mikhaul and yelled, "That one Mikhaul, I will kill that one!"

"Kili, run!" He heard Thorin call. Everyone else was in the tunnel and Kili ran for safety. Wargs were right on his heels the entire way and just as he and Thorin dropped to the bottom of the rock they heard horns sounding far above them. He couldn't believe he just left Rylee and Mikhaul to their fates, he felt sick to his stomach. He looked back up at the daylight above them wondering, hoping, and praying that Rylee would make it alive. The cuff on his wrist felt as heavy as his guilt in that moment.

"Rylee will be fine, she is a warrior, and will find safety." Fili pulled Kili away from the rocky entrance, knowing that if he didn't, his reckless brother would go back for her. Rylee would be enraged if Kili put himself into harm's way for no reason. "She will be angry if you go after her."

"I know that, but I don't have to like it!" Kili said in frustration. This was getting to be too much, she was unlike every woman he ever met, and he couldn't even do his job as a Dwarf and protect her. She was so stubborn that she didn't even take orders from Thorin and he was her mentor and guardian. How was he supposed to deal with all of this? He knew he wanted her, but was all this extra stress worth it? He fingered the cuff around his wrist and wondered briefly if it was truly a token of her affection, or if it was a shackle to remind him of what he was giving up for her. Peace of mind was at the top of that list.

The first thing he did that morning was embarrass himself by screaming that he had huge parasites, which Rylee made into a jest at his expense. He was mortified by that alone, then for her to take off with the dirty brown wizard, he was upset that she would just leave him behind. The glare she gave him when he tried to stop her gave him pause, like he insulted her by trying to keep her safe. Seeing her in battle, instigating and fighting the Orcs and Wargs, he felt proud that he had fallen for someone so strong. Even if he was constantly concerned about her safety.

They could hear the sounds of battle still raging above them, arrows flying. The battle cry of a familiar dwarrowdam and there were the sounds of horses, a whole herd of horses had joined Mikhaul. Hearing her battle cry, Kili knew he could not doubt these feelings. She was his One, and he wanted her safe beside him. He hated the fact that he was not able to fight with her, that he was in the safety of a cave and she was up there fighting for them.

It was that moment that an Orc fell into the hole, rolling to a stop at their feet, a broken arrow protruding from its neck. Thorin pulled it out and looked at it. It was of Elven make, he tossed the arrow to the side and spat, "Elves."

"I cannot see where the path leads! Do I follow it or not?" Dwalin asked.

"Follow it of course!" Bofur said as he took off after Dwalin.

Gandalf sighed in frustration as the dwarves made their way after Dwalin, "I think that would be wise."

The company moved out, but Kili stopped and looked up towards the daylight. The sound of battle had moved away and that bothered him more than listening to it from a distance. He could no longer hear Rylee, the silence was eerie. He was at war with himself. Fear settled in the pit of his stomach as he thought of all the things that Orcs could do to Rylee if they caught her. He tried to shake it off. Rylee was a warrior, she could handle herself. If there were elves they would keep Rylee safe, at least he hoped they would. He turned and followed the others.

They made their way down the path. It was technically the bottom of a massive crevasse, fissured in the granite lying deep under the mountainous foothills and plains. The grey rock was marbled occasionally with white quartz and there was an abundance of lichen, moss, and other herbs that grew on the small outcroppings where dirt and sediments could collect. Bombur tried to stop once to collect some but was shoved along by his cousin, to keep him from holding up the line. They walked for miles under the ground, completely undetectable from those on the land high above them.

Hours went by as they travelled, and still Kili's thoughts were on Rylee, hoping that she was safe. The granite pass ran for a couple of miles under the ground, but unlike a cave there was light the entire way due to the fissure in the stone high above them, that guided their way. The whole thing was impressive, but Kili could barely even concentrate on what he was seeing around him, he was too focused on his feelings for Rylee. He felt a tremor of something that reminded him of her voice and the effect that it had over him. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Bilbo speak behind him.

"Gandalf," Bilbo said, his voice was filled with a mixture of awe and confusion. "Where are we?"

"You can feel it?" Gandalf inquired with a note of surprise.

Bilbo looked back and Kili slowed so he could listen to what was said. "Yes, it feels like, well like Magic."

"That's exactly what it is," Gandalf said looking at Bilbo with an expression of wonder. "A very powerful magic."

They heard expressions of awe and annoyance coming from the others up ahead and continued on and the tunnel curved, finally it opened up and they were fanned with the soft spray of a thin waterfall as it cascaded down the side of the fissure. The granite walls opened up and from their path they could see the great mountain walls rise protectively over a massive valley.

Towering rock walls enshrouded a small city of open structures, showcasing archways, waterways, and a labyrinth of bridges that led through what was obviously intricate Elven architecture. Other than the fact that it was purely above ground and open to the elements, it would easily rival the great halls of Ered Luin and the other Dwarrow Halls Kili had visited. He had to grudgingly admit that this river city was quite beautiful.

All of the structure was made to allow the great waterways to fall unimpeded into the great river far below. A great deal of what could be seen was hewn from stone, marble, and wood. The buildings had arched and domed roofs, large open windows, long terraces and sweeping staircases.

"The Valley of Imladris. In the Common Tongue, it's known by another name." Gandalf said to Bilbo with a twinkle of his eye.

The Hobbit was very well read, so it was no surprise to Kili when Bilbo responded, "Rivendell."

"Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea." Gandalf said with no small amount of awe of his own. It was a very pretty valley. The trees had leaves of many different colors, and the warm spring sunshine lit everything around them. The roar of the rivers and waterfalls were deafening and yet they didn't seem to impede the gales of laughter and music that could be heard in the city far below the trail.

"This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy." Thorin scowled at Gandalf, all of their talk the day before had been for naught. The Wizard had found a way to ensure that they crossed paths with Elves.

Gandalf looked down at Thorin, the Dwarf who was endlessly trying his patience, and making things needlessly difficult. He spoke in a tone filled with exasperation, "You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself."

Thorin was frustrated. The elves were not going to help them. At every turn they seemed to thwart the actions of the Dwarves. Never in his one hundred ninety-five years had he seen the so-called protectors of Middle-Earth come to their aid, "You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us."

"Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered." Gandalf said meeting his eyes. He did understand the Dwarf's frustration. Elves were not usually very accepting of Dwarves and vise-versa, from what he had seen in the five years he spend with Rylee in the First Age. The Dwarves of Nogrod destroyed much of the trust that Durin and Rylee worked so hard to build when they attacked Doriath.

Other than those few Elves that Rylee kept around her as friends, there were few that wanted anything at all to do with the people of Aulë. There was little hope for the girl to ever truly unite the three great creations of Ilúvatar, adopted or otherwise. "If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm, which is why you will leave the talking to Rylee and I."

They continued down the trail of naturally hewn stairs as they made their way over towering ridges and thin paths towards a main roadway and a bridge that led into the city. The more they saw of the towering archways and the massive rivers cutting under and through the buildings, the more disquieted the dwarves became. They were not used to such natural peacefulness. Dwarf cities would be crowded with people. There would be sounds of workmen doing their craft, and the heavy ringing of picks hewing the stone. There would be the banter and shouts of merchants selling their wares and the villagers who stopped to buy their crafts. The two cities were as different as black beside white, yet no less beautiful.

They met up with the main road that led deeper into the valley and followed it onto the bridge that they had seen from high above the city. The bridge took them through a high arched Elven gate and beyond it was a pair of stone Elven statues and a large round courtyard, beyond it a dark haired elf glided down the long staircase to greet them. He took one look at Gandalf and said with a troubled smile, "Mithrandir."

"Ah, Lindir!" Gandalf greeted, him as the Dwarves followed him onto the massive circular entry way, they peered over the edges that fell away to the roaring rivers far below.

"Stay sharp." Thorin said quietly to Dwalin as a sense of disquiet fell over them, they watched Gandalf and the elf speak to each other.

"Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen." Lindir said directly to Gandalf, he ignored the dwarves for the moment.

Gandalf knew that Lindir preferred to speak in his native Sindarin. The words he spoke meant, 'We heard you had crossed into the Valley.' He offered a tight smile as he looked at Lindir, "I must speak with Lord Elrond."

"My lord Elrond is not here." Lindir said meeting his eyes.

"Not here? Where is he?" Gandalf asked with a note of suspicion. Behind him he heard the Elvish horns that marked their presence on the plains and after meeting Lindir's expectant gaze he turned towards the sound of horses and armed Elvish warriors as they rode in at a quick pace.

* * *

><p>The Company was safe and the Elves were there. Rylee had taken down the Orc archer with her axes moments before they arrived. She was back atop Mikhaul as the Elves joined the fray. Mikhaul whinnied in greeting to the other horses as she smashed her hooves into the head of an Orc and Rylee flashed out her whip at yet another Warg as she passed it. Flicking her wrist and severing its head, more blood flying and covering her and Mikhaul. Arrows were flying and the elves surrounded her and Mikhaul. A few of the Orcs got away but the majority was taken down with the arrival of the Elves.<p>

"If I didn't see it with my own eyes I would call you an apparition." Elrond said in Sindarin.

"The last time I saw you, you were little more than a boy!" Rylee responded in kind with a smile, Elrond and his twin brother were only in their fifties when she found them on the trail to Gil-galad's encampment. Over the five years she spent with them, they grew into mighty warriors. "But then that was only a few weeks ago in my mind, where as you have had thousands of years to forget picking on me."

"You were always so fun to pester though." Elrond said as the guard surrounded her. "How is it possible you are here?"

"I am here because the Valar have sent me." Rylee said meeting his eyes soberly. She wiped her hand across her face drawing away some of the sticky Orc blood. More blood, more mess, so gross. As long as she didn't get it in her mouth she would be fine, Orc blood tasted horrible and she was unwilling to repeat the experience, "I am here on a quest."

"But Saruman said you were mortally wounded at the battle of Scatha, he was not sure if you would return," Elrond told her looking quite confused.

"I die at the end of every quest, Elrond, I return when the Valar choose for me to do so." Rylee told him with a wry smile. She felt a little disheartened by the news that she truly was here for Scatha and had secretly hoped that Esgaud was lying to her about it. "So, I was here to kill Scatha? Why then, do I not remember it?"

"What do you mean, you do not remember it?" Elrond looked shocked.

"I only know what Esgaud told me before Kili and I killed him," Rylee shook her head. "I am certain that he spoke at least a few lies, he was, after all, a dragon."

"So the Great Cold Drake is now gone?" Elrond smiled looking at her. It was almost the same look she remembered on him when they were fighting dragons in the First Age.

"Aye, but I have questions, Elrond, I don't remember anything that happened with Scatha. I do not know if any of my friends survived, I am feeling lost. I don't know what my duties are as Rúnyatári. I have little sense of the history of the past six thousand years." Rylee started listing off all the things she needed answers to. "Gandalf insists that I contact Saruman, he is certain that he may be able to answer my questions."

"Will you come to Rivendell?" Elrond met her gaze with a contemplative one of his own. "Perhaps we can find your answers together."

"I do suppose that would be wise, would it not?" Rylee laughed. One of the Elven guard handed her a handful of Yellow and Black fletched arrows. Kili's arrows. She wondered for a moment why they would think they were hers, until she remembered the bow sitting with her packs on the back of Mikhaul. She accepted them gracefully with a smile. She would return them to Kili later.

"Ride with me then, Emitheral." Elrond offered. The last time he saw her she was the cold Queen of Red Flames, Rúnyatári. She seemed more open and relaxed than he ever knew her to be. There was a bright spark in her that he had not seen since the first days he met her, when she arrived for her third quest. "The least we can do is give you food, lodging and a place to clean up. Gil-galad kept your belongings and gathered those that Oropher and Thranduil had in their possession. He said you would be back for them. I brought them here and made a place for you in case you returned. You are still quite the little warrior."

"Little I might be, but you will not find a fiercer fighter." Rylee quipped. It was just like old times. "Who else is with you here in Rivendell? Any one I might know?"

"There may be a few here that you might remember fondly," Elrond watched with amusement as a grin lit her bloodied face. "We shall get you a bath first and I will invite them to dinner."

"That would be wonderful!" Rylee grinned a small spark of white fire lit her eyes.

Elrond smiled in return. He forgot what a firecracker Emitheral could be when among people akin to her. Elorin and Elihara were both weapon-smiths, best in their field, and both of them adored Emitheral. He would be sure to invite them to surprise the Daughter of Aulë. This would be a lively gathering, one he wished his family could be a part of.

It was a quick ride to the gates of the beautiful river city. When they got there the dwarves were already in the center of the gateway and from the looks of it expecting an attack. She heard Thorin command, "Ifridî bekâr! Close ranks!"

They must have thought the elves were threatening them as they came charging in as they did. Rylee hung back so that Elrond could greet them properly, watching as the Elves and their horses paraded around the tight knit circle of Dwarves. She and Mikhaul stood silently between the two tall Elvish statues, not wanting to bloody the door step.

"Gandalf!" Elrond smiled in greeting at the old wizard.

"Lord Elrond!" Gandalf said stepping forward to meet his old friend, speaking in Sindarin, "My friend. Where have you been?"

"We've been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the south." Elrond said in kind as he slipped off of his horse. "We slew a number near the Hidden Pass. We found Emitheral there as well, am I to assume she was travelling with you?"

"She is well then?" Gandalf asked in common tongue, and then smiled in response as he spied Rylee sitting atop Mikhaul still covered in Orc and Warg blood. Her whip coiled loosely in one hand, Kili's arrows in the other. They looked like keepers of death standing in the stone gateway as they were.

"She is more vicious and deadly than I remember. Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders, something or someone has drawn them near," Elrond said as he showed Gandalf the Orc knife he found discarded on the battle field.

"Ah, that may have been us." Gandalf said as he indicated the Dwarves gathered in the center of the courtyard. He met Rylee's eyes, she was certain that the Orcs were after her, but during the chase the Orcs were more interested in Radagast than her. She shook her head at him in confusion, letting him know that she too was not certain why they would be after the Company. Gandalf knew though. They were after Thorin. They were after the price on his head, someone out there wanted the Heir of Erebor dead.

Thorin stepped out from the horde of Dwarves to greet the lord of Rivendell, and Elrond turned to meet him, "Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain."

"I do not believe we have met," Thorin said taken somewhat aback. As far as he could remember he had never met this Lord Elrond.

"You have your grandfather's bearing, I knew Thror when he ruled under the mountain." Elrond said with a knowledge that could only be honed by time.

"Indeed, he made no mention of you." Thorin said his eyes steely, his tone brusque. Rylee dropped her head in frustration, now she understood Gandalf's irritation with her mentor. Thorin was purposely slighting a potential ally.

"Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin." Elrond spoke directly to Thorin in Sindarin and Rylee rolled her eyes, he was looking for an uproar, which he got. He always was a cheeky one, even if it was subtle.

"What is he saying? Does he offer us insult?" Gloin called from amongst the dwarves as they all began to become riled, their voices rising over the courtyard.

"Nay, Master Gloin! He said 'Light the fires, bring forth the wine. We must feed our guests'," Rylee's voice called from the gate, her form hidden by the Elven guard. "Really, Elrond, must you be so cheeky?"

Lord Elrond met her eyes and smirked. Rylee grinned, her white teeth flashing under the black blood that smeared her face.

Gloin and the others huddled together before turning back to the Elven Lord and telling him, "Lead on then!"

"Aye, lead on, the Valar know we could use the rest after that!" Rylee agreed wholeheartedly. The Elven guard made an opening for Mikhaul and they moved forward among the other riders. Her blood covered form took many of the dwarves as well as Lindir aback. The little dwarrowdam looked to be pure War Maiden, splattered from head to foot in the blood of her enemies.

"Mahal! Rylee, what have you done?" Kili cried at the sight of her. His heart nearly stopped beating at the sight of her. If she was blood covered before, she looked even more savage sitting atop an equally bloodied Mikhaul in the courtyard of the Elven city, "You were just supposed to lead them away!"

"Aye, which we did, until you lot created that bloody racket and drew them right to you!" Rylee growled at him. What was his problem? It's not like she did something out of the ordinary.

"What were we supposed to do?" Kili yelled back at her. He could not believe her! She purposely went after those Orcs and Wargs. She and Mikhaul attacked them from the very beginning. They were in the very heart of the battle the entire time. The dwarves around them were getting uncomfortable being in the midst of their first real lovers spat. "Let them kill us?"

"No you fool! You were supposed to stay out of their path!" Her voice was rising and her eyes were starting to spark. There was that energy again, the power that was in her voice.

"Would have been easier, if you and that brown Wizard had not kept circling back," Kili told her angrily, he got nods of agreement from the rest of the Company. He could not believe they were fighting about this, "I saw you attacking them long before that scout came upon us. Even then, you should not have come back for us! You are too hotheaded and battle crazed for your own good!"

"So, I was just supposed to let them kill you? That would defeat my purpose here, do you not think?" She yelled hotly, she was completely enraged. She cared about them, she was not going to just stand back and let Orcs and Wargs tear them apart. "I did what needed to be done! The ones that I killed were archers and they were aiming at you, you bloody arse! Get it through your thick head; I am the War Maiden of The Valar, the Daughter of Aulë, not some housemaid, Kili! I fight in battles, I am here on a quest, not to cook or clean house. Elrond, if you would please provide me a guide, while you attend to your guests, I have a need to be away from the insolence of thickheaded Dwarves."

"Of course, my dear Emitheral, I apologize for making you wait unnecessarily" Elrond said, he indicated for the captain of his guard to escort her within, "Take Rúnyatári to the House of Aulë."

"Rúnyatári, this way please," The captain of the guard looked at Rylee, a smile played about the Elf's face as he met her eye.

Kili didn't appreciate the blatant admiration that lit the Elf's face as he indicated for Rylee to follow. Mikhaul immediately turned to follow the Captain and his horse, but Rylee didn't look at him, nor did she look back at the Company, her spine was rigid with anger. He could see the admiration for Rylee on the faces of every one of the Elves present in the courtyard. He hated it, she was his! She was his One. Mahal made her for him.

"Where are you going?" Kili demanded. He needed to know where she was going now. It was unbearable to have her out of his sight, whether he was mad at her or not.

"For a bath!" Rylee shouted as they passed him. "Not that it's any of your bloody business."

"You are a fool, Kili. You should never berate her for doing her duty, it was what she was created to do," Mikhaul whispered into his mind as they rode past. She whipped her tail at Kili, swatting him in the head. "Do you remember her that night at the river, seeing her naked before the bandits, swimming in the pool. She told me you saw her."

Kili nearly fell over at the memory, and Fili looked at him in askance. Then Mikhaul did something he didn't know she could do. She sent him an image of Rylee in her bath sheet, drying her pale hairless legs, "Oi! Mikhaul, that is not fair!"

Fili hooted as the thoughts were sent into his mind as well, "Wow, Rylee, you have beautiful legs!"

"What did you do now, Mikhaul?" Rylee's angry voice called as they walked away. Fili chuckled at the gasp from Rylee that followed, "Oh! You didn't! Mikhaul! Why would you do such a thing?"

"She sent them to you too!" Kili accused, suddenly angry that his brother got to envision something so private the horse was out of her mind! "Mikhaul!"

"Aye, Kili," Fili shook his head as he watched Rylee and Mikhaul move away.

"Of all the harebrained, idiotic things you could have done! I have seen Balrogs smarter than the pair of you combined, really Mikhaul!" She said in frustration then Rylee started to swear, words in Khuzdul and Sindarin both, Elven and Dwarven ears began to burn, hearing such words fall from her lips.

Bofur hooted in glee and cried, "I don't think I have ever heard a woman use words like that before."

"I have, Master Dwarf, but that was ages ago," Elrond told them with a mild smirk on his face as he looked down at Kili, "Though I must say, she is being relatively polite. She must like you, Master Dwarf."

"I did say she could swear like a wayfarer in every language," Gandalf said with no small amount of amusement.

Kili understood every word she said in Khuzdul, and his heart sank. She told him to suck an Orc's bollocks and enter the ass end of a Wereworm. That was right after telling Mikhaul that she was about to become Dragon shit. If that was her being polite, he never wanted to hear what she had to say about him while being impolite. The worst part, the mare just laughed the entire time. He was mortified once again, his face red with shame.

After being shown a place to stow their belongings and clean up for dinner, they were escorted to a large terrace that overlooked the bay. The scenery was breathtaking. Even Kili had to admit to that. There was nothing like it anywhere in Middle-Earth.

* * *

><p>"Are you all right, Your Majesty? You seem quite angry," The Captain of the Guard asked her once she finally fell into silence.<p>

"Aye, Mikhaul here just does not have boundaries," Rylee said feeling quite chagrined.

"But what you said was also directed at that young archer," He pressed as they rode side by side through the city.

"That is because between him and Mikhaul, I may never have a day's peace for the remainder of my life. Really, yelling at the War Maiden of The Valar for going to war!" Rylee scoffed and shook her head. "The things I do for that Dwarf!"

"I take it you care for him?" The guard smirked at her, his admiration still apparent on his face.

"Aye, I care for him, not that he knows it yet," Rylee rolled her eyes, "If he keeps up like that, I may never tell him and just allow myself to fade. Better that than be locked away in some prison."

They fell silent and the Captain of the Guard led her to the most inner part of the city, the area furthest away from the massive terraces and the weeping gardens that overlooked the bay. There were fewer and fewer homes, and more and more shops. There were bakeries, jewelers, and merchants lining the streets. Finally they passed the training fields and the city guard barracks, smiths, stables, and a beautiful Armory and Forge, which Rylee could not help but ogle. Still they continued a ways past it to a small road that lead into a small forested area that nestled right up against the wall of the mountains that secured and hid the city. It was enchanting, the forest, the flowers, and a creek that ran through the area. It was a place of wilderness tucked away within a prim and proper town. Rylee's breath was taken away.

A clearing opened up into a large lot, it contained ponds, waterfalls, a rolling field of clover and grass, and an open stable for a large horse. The garden had wild flowers, lilac bushes, roses and honeysuckle, all of which grew predominately in the garden in no true rhyme or reason. In the farthest corner was tucked a small house made of stone, brick, and wood. A stone path led through to the wild gardens to the dark wooden door. Everything was carved with scroll work and the awnings and roof were pitched and covered in clay tiles. Over the door in Sindarin was written; 'House of Aulë.'

"Here you are Rúnyatári. You will find everything you need within, the house staff lives in the staff quarters at the back and will prepare a bath for you." The Captain of the Guard told her from atop his horse. "Lord Elrond will be holding dinner on the terrace at twilight, will you be attending?"

"Aye, I suppose I must," Rylee looked over at the face of the Elf who escorted her. He was looking at her with curiosity.

"I will collect you prior to, and escort you." He met her eyes and smiled with interest then nodded before moving off.

"When you do, please refrain from calling me by any titles. Elrond is Lord here, I will not upstage him in his own home," Rylee said as she slid off of Mikhaul and removed her bags, then she unraveled Mikhaul's braids and then left her to do her own thing since Mikhaul had her own cleaning rituals. "Do you see this Mikhaul? Do you think Elrond found my drawings? It has everything that I was designing."

Mikhaul moved off to the large pond and waterfall while Rylee carried her belongings up the steps. She opened the doors and swept inside. It was cozy and unpretentious. A living area took up most of the space with a small kitchen nook where an Elven woman was standing checking the cupboards and pantries making a list of supplies that would be needed.

"I hope Elrond informed you that the Daughter of Aulë cannot cook," Rylee said to the woman, with a half smile. The woman turned and gasped in horror at Rylee's appearance. Rylee's eyes widened in shock when she saw the pretty brunette standing before her, it was her maid from Gil-galad's pavilion. A woman Rylee was certain she would never see again, "Rohinna! You are here! I thought you would be lost to the dragons. I worried I would never see you again!"

Tears collected on the Elven woman's face, "My dear, Emitheral, I would always come to you when you needed. I would hug you, but you are absolutely covered in gore."

"I apologize for my unsightly appearance," Rylee said looking down at her blood spattered clothes. "We had a run in with Orcs. I was told that I would be able to bathe before dinner."

"It is already prepared, please come this way." Rohinna laughed at her, taking the arrows from her hand, and leading her away. "Let us get you cleaned off. I will get those clothes cleaned for you and we shall soak your whip in oil to get the dried bits out. It shall be just like the old days."

She followed the woman to the back of the house towards a spiraling staircase. The entire house was paved in large flat stones and the furniture was made of thick wood. There was a large fireplace in the main living area as well as another in the loft bedroom where she was led. The bath was tiled completely in bright blue stones and candles lit the room to the point where it glowed. There was indoor plumbing much like that of Bilbo's. Rylee was completely shocked. "He must have found my drawings, everything is here."

"No Emitheral," Rohinna said softly, "I found them and gave them to Gil-galad who gave them to Elrond along with all of your belongings. The only thing he did not build was the Forge."

"Well that is unfortunate but if I recall, the forge would have been larger than the house, so it really only makes sense to forgo it." Rylee chuckled softly. She started to strip out of her bloodied layers. "So all of my belongings are here?"

"Yes my dear, I have ensured that your favorites have remained in perfect shape. Not that dragon hide ever deteriorates. Which outfit would you like to wear for dinner?" Rohinna asked her as she took her whip to a large basin filled with oil and several other cleansers. The blood and gore started to flake away the moment the metal touched the liquid. Rylee stripped down to nothing, leaving everything in a pile on the floor.

"The black leggings with the blue half-dress jacket," Rylee said, immediately stating her favorite garments. She climbed into the tub and sank into the heated depths. She moaned in delight at the warm soothing waters. She sank deep within the water, submerging even her head. She scrubbed her face and ears while she was under, getting the dried and caking matter off of her flesh. As though by magic a basket of Rylee's favorite soaps and lotions appeared beside the bath. Rylee grinned up at Rohinna, "Always a magician, you know me almost as well as Mikhaul."

"Would you prefer the black tunic under-dress or the pale blue half-sleeve?" Rohinna returned the smile as she moved away towards the wardrobe.

"Pale blue," Rylee said as she used her soaps and scrubbed away the remains of the gore from her body. Finally rinsed and cleaned she rose from the tub, pulling her towel from a hook. By the time she left the bathroom her underclothes and outfit for the evening was laid out on the bed for her. It took her little time to dress and re-clip her hair. The remainder of her time, waiting for the Captain of the Guard to re-appear, was spent cleaning her weapons and securing them onto her body. "I remember you being quite good at subterfuge, you often kept Thranduil and Oropher off of my trail for weeks on end, while I was hiding just beyond the door."

"I never got along with Thranduil," Rohinna chuckled quietly, "Between myself and Kaia, we got you out of their clutches more times than I can even count. When did you meet them again?"

"I met them in Doriath, they were part of Thingol's household." Rylee said softly, remembering her arrival in the hidden woodland realm in Beleriand. "They just barely missed the sacking of Doriath by the Dwarves of Nogrod because of their desire for the Nauglamir. They went to the Mouths of Sirion when I went on my final Campaign against Glaurung with Turin. If I recall they were guests of Gil-galad, and remained in Gil-galad's regiment when the company marched north towards Angband."

"They must have had some sort of luck to escape such ends as they did, they could have easily been amongst the fallen in Doriath." Rohinna said quietly, "But then Galadriel was with them as well, with the sight and all, Celeborn ensured her safety the entire time. The flight from Beleriand was terrible, and seeing you fall from that dragon, Emitheral, I have never felt such fear."

"Yet here I am once again," Rylee assured Rohinna, taking her hands in her own. "If there was any other way, I would have taken it, but there was none. If there was a way to save Beleriand I would have done it, to save those lives. Do you know what happened to Fleet Took?"

"He went east with Galadriel after you died, he said he wanted to keep an eye on her. He used to tell the oddest stories about her," Rohinna giggled, thinking back about the small Elven male and his tall tales. "He told one once about how you and she went hunting and she fell into a massive mud puddle."

"Really?" Rylee smirked, knowing the truth about that story. She thought it amusing that even after six thousand years Galadriel's true nature was hidden beneath that pristine veneer. All that remained of their adventures were rumors that no one truly believed.

"Yes, there was another that he told where she would drink ale like a dwarf and have belching contests! He said that they got to the point where she couldn't even stop, they were so uncontrolled." Rohinna laughed again, Rylee's smirk turned into a smile, "Can you imagine Lady Galadriel burping?"

"I can imagine her doing many things, Rohinna," Rylee chuckled softly, "but then I have seen her in a much different light than most, with the exception of Celeborn that is. If you want to know the truth, you should just ask her."

"Oh, no! I could never do that!" Rohinna gasped at the idea of asking the Lady of Lothlorien such an uncouth question.

She left the house to wait outside. Rohinna waited with her. They talked about Rohinna's life and the things that she had done. She told her that she stayed in Gil-galad's employ until his passing and joined Elrond in Rivendell after the defeat of Sauron. She had not found her love, but she was kept quite busy keeping the gardens at the main house for Elrond.

Mikhaul was rolling contentedly in the clover and from the thoughts that were coming from the horse, that was where she was going to stay. Rylee laughed at the great mare and watched the Captain of the Guard ride up the road.

"I hope you don't mind riding double, Mikhaul has decided to take a vacation." Rylee told him.

The Elven male looked at the horse wildly rolling in the garden, a smile quirked his lips at the sight of the wild animal enjoying her home. He turned to look at a now clean Rylee and his eyes lit with interest and curiosity. "If it does not bother you Emitheral, then it will not bother me."

"What is your name, Captain?" Rylee asked as she approached his horse, looking up at him.

"Daeron, my lady," he smiled down at her offering her his hand.

"Well then, Daeron, we best be moving on," Rylee smiled up at him. She took his hand and pulled herself up on the back of his horse. It was then that Rylee suddenly became nervous, every word she spoke earlier, she regretted. Kili must hate her! The things she said about him! Oh, she was such an idiot.


	19. Double Billed

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Chapter 19

Double Billed

May 28

They were escorted towards a terrace that overlooked the valley, Elrond called it the dining pavilion. It just looked like a wide terrace to Kili, with more arches, and marble Elven statues, plants and greenery that grew up around them creating a natural beauty that could only be considered Elvish. They were seated at a low lying table on little pads for seats, and food was served to them. It all seemed to be light fare mostly consisting of a light salad, bread with vegetables wrapped inside, pudding cakes, and bread buns. There seemed to be nothing more substantial. There were Elves playing harps and horns and flutes, the tones were soft and muted. Everything in this place screamed of peace and quiet. Any noise seemed almost out of place. For the Dwarves it was uncomfortable to say the least.

"Try it, just a mouthful," Dori cajoled Ori into trying some spinach, lettuce and other greens.

"I don't like green food," Ori complained looking forlornly at his bowl of salad.

"Where's the meat?" Dwalin growled, picking up the greens in his bowl and looking for something hardier. He looked up to see Rylee enter silently on the arm of the tall dark haired Captain of the Guard. Dwalin could see the open admiration on the Elf's face as he looked down at Rylee as he escorted her towards the head table. She paused, and looked around at the Dwarves seated around the small table and her eyes fell immediately on Kili.

Kili looked up from his food and noticed an Elf girl playing on the harp who was making eyes at him while she played, so he winked back. Dwalin watched the color drain from Rylee's face, and an instant flash of pain as it crossed her face. How could the lad be so bloody daft, and not see Rylee standing right there? The stunning queen was hard to miss since every other Dwarf and Elf was staring at her. He shot a dark glare at Kili. Then he noticed the quiet exchange between Rylee and the Elf in the Elvish tongue.

Rylee watched Kili flirt with the elleth playing the harp and her heart broke, she felt it shatter, and she stopped in her tracks. The dark haired Elf maid was beautiful, even Daeron was eyeing her as they surveyed the room. Daeron bent over and whispered in her ear, "You can play that game as well as he, if you would wish it so."

"Daeron?" Rylee looked up at him not understanding his meaning.

"Rúnyatári, you eclipse every beauty in the room," Daeron whispered softly, with a small flirtatious smile. "Your heart belongs to him, but he must realize that such a treasure as yourself can be stolen."

"I will follow your lead Daeron." Rylee smiled as it dawned on her what he was thinking. He took her arm and led her further into the room, just in time to hear Kili make an utter fool of himself.

"Can't say I fancy elf maids myself," Kili said trying to cover up his blunder. He knew he shouldn't be flirting with the maid, especially since accepting Rylee's token. "Too thin. They're all high cheek bones and creamy skin and not enough facial hair for me." He paused and looked up at the only male musician around the table, and confided, "Though that one there is not bad."

"That is not an elf maid." Dwalin informed him quietly. There was a long moment before everyone started laughing as they surveyed the Elven male in question. Rylee's escort smirked in obvious amusement as they walked past.

"Funny," Kili said turning red at the jest. All of them knew that he was head over heels for the little dwarrowdam in their own company. For the third time that day he turned red in discomfort and shame, he was making an ass of himself. He was running on no sleep and it showed. Every time he opened his mouth it was to make a comment that Rylee took as an insult. This time he couldn't even laugh it off. Rylee passed quietly in front of him, smiling serenely up at the handsome Elf that escorted her to the main table. He looked up at Rylee, his intention was to apologize, but at the sight of her he fell speechless. Kili's eyes widened as he took in how she draped her hand over the Elf's arm, how the Elf's other hand covered hers possessively.

Her braids and mithril crown were glossy from being freshly washed and her hair fell in long curls down her back. She wore fitted black leggings, soft black slippers, and a pale blue short dress which hung to mid thigh. It had a square collar with half sleeves. Kili could see the Dwarvish embroidery around the hems and sleeves. Over top she wore a darker blue thigh length fitted sleeveless dress-jacket. It was embellished with the same pattern as the under dress, which Kili recognized as Rylee's personal motif. There was enough fabric around her hips and thighs to swirl around her but the upper part of her dress was form fitted, it clung to every inch of her body. Her black diamond rose was displayed overtop of her clothes, the gem glinting darkly in the light of the terrace. On her back she wore her axes and around her waist as always was her whip, shining brightly. Without the heavy layers the whip wrapped even tighter and longer around her torso, the entire effect made her lush form even more so. Kili was stunned. Durin blue looked beautiful on her.

"It is unfortunate that Dwarves put such stock in facial hair, Rúnyatári, for there has never been such a treasure in any race as bright as you are," Daeron said softly as they walked past. Rylee's serene smile turned into a genuine one. "They should beware or their most stunning jewel will be stolen out from under their noses."

"That is such poetic flattery, Captain," Rylee said with a grin, "If I were susceptible to such charms, I might allow you to be the thief."

"Now you've done it, lad!" Dwalin said glaring at Kili. Rylee met Dwalin's eyes and she gave him a wink as the tall dark haired ellon escorted her to her seat. He had to keep the grin off of his face as he realized that the tall elf was helping Rylee make Kili jealous. Looks were exchanged between both of the lower tables, Dwalin subtly signing to Fili what Rylee was up to. Fili grinned mischievously.

Fili looked at his brother and said openly, "She honors us and wears Durin colors, a sapphire of the clearest blue would be shamed beside Rylee tonight."

Rylee blushed and turned to meet Fili's gaze, she curtsied at the compliment and smiled warmly, the flash of white fire lit her sad grey eyes. "You put that Durin charm to good use, My Prince, your ancestor would be very proud."

"I only speak the truth, My Queen," Fili winked at her.

"My Lord Elrond," Daeron addressed his lord, before turning back to Rylee, "Rúnyatári, I thank you for allowing me the pleasure to escort you this evening. Your eyes shine as brightly as the stars. Varda has blessed you."

Daeron pulled out her chair for her, waited for her to move in front and carefully seated her. Rylee blushed at the compliment and smiled up at him, "Thank you, Daeron, you have been most kind."

"It was my pleasure. If you need anything else Emitheral, please, do not hesitate to ask," The tall dark haired Captain of the Guard bowed to her taking both of her hands in his own, he brushed his lips over her knuckles. Rylee smiled softly as he rose, released her hands and gave her a smile. He pointedly met Kili's eyes and turned to walk away. Kili fumed in rage. Rylee was his, he wore her token.

Fili could not believe his idiot brother. From the things he said to Rylee, to flirting with the Elf maiden, it was like Kili's brain was turned off. Fili tried to warn him that she was a War Maiden, that she was just like Grandmother Nisi, and that she would not appreciate being smothered. Did Kili listen at all? Of course not! Once again Rylee was obviously feeling hurt and was resorting to retaliation to get back at Kili. Watching Rylee flirt with the Elf was like watching well played battle strategy. She smiled sweetly the entire time. Her eyes gave everything away, but she still looked flattered when the Elf practically worshiped her at the head table. Kili was not only jealous, he was fuming.

Elrond greeted her with a wide knowing smile, "Well met, Emitheral. You look much refreshed, would you like some wine?"

"Only if it is Fire Wine, Lord Elrond, if you please." Rylee smiled as Thorin pulled her chair and helped her to sit.

"Emitheral if you start calling me My Lord, I will be forced to call you My Queen," Elrond admonished her softly, "We have never been so formal, so why start now?"

"As you wish, Elrond," Rylee smiled back at him, it was easy to slide back into being around him. She just felt disconcerted that his brother was not there to tease her, as a pair they were always out to torment her in some way, it was like suddenly acquiring a pair of younger brothers. Now that Elros was missing the loss seemed more real. She brushed the thoughts away and returned to the original subject, "Now, about that wine?"

"Of course, Lindir, Rylee will need some fire wine," Elrond smirked and looked slyly at Gandalf, "Bring out three bottles."

"Three, my lord Elrond?" The tall elf looked at Rylee with surprise, then back at Elrond.

"Aye, three will be perfect," Rylee grinned up at the Elven steward. "The first to honor the fallen, the second to praise the living, and the third is for me."

"Rylee, you honor me and my line, Durin blue suits you beautifully." Thorin said with a genuine smile. After their first arguments on this quest, Thorin knew better than to question either her ability or her readiness in battle. He still worried about her, he would be a heartless fool if he did not but seeing her blood covered and grinning atop Mikhaul reminded him that she was not only a well trained warrior, she was The War Maiden of The Valar. She deserved his respect, "You fight like a man and clean up like a lady. Never in all my years have I met such a perfect woman."

"Pshaw, I would be perfect if I knew how to cook, mend and sew." Rylee scoffed with a playful grin.

"No! That's why we have Bombur, Bofur, and Bifur!" Gloin called out. The company laughed at that, Rylee was mildly surprised. The fierce red head rarely included himself in her conversations, "Did you see her take out that Warg with her axes? Stunning display of strength, that was."

"What Warg?" Kili asked shocked, "I only saw her use her whip."

"That was nothing! Did you see what she did to that Orc?" Dwalin grinned at her, "nearly split him in half before she took his head."

"There was an Orc too?" Kili growled in frustration. He never saw any of this, he only saw her with her whip. "When did that happen?"

Kili's frustration grew. How was it that the entire company accepted Rylee as a warrior? They were Dwarves. They should be doting on her, hovering over her, and protecting her, like he had seen them do with every other dwarrowdam they ever encountered in the past. He knew they all cared for her, when she injured her feet they were all greatly concerned. So why didn't they even blink an eye when she dove headfirst into the battle? Even Thorin, who should be most concerned, seemed accepting of her recklessness. In fact he seemed proud!

"You missed her take out the archer as we arrived," Elrond shared as he looked over at the dwarves and smiled, "She stood on Mikhaul's back, launched herself axes first into his chest, narrowly missed the Morgul shaft strung on his bow, and drove her Axes into his heart. Then she took his place on the Warg and drove her axe through its skull. She is even more violent now than when we fought together in the First Age."

"I am not violent Elrond, I am efficient. I simply took the straightest route to get to the heart of the matter." Rylee grinned back at the Elf. He knew her as a warrior. The way they talked to each other told Kili that they were longtime friends. The Elf winked at him and turned away as Gandalf and Thorin brought out their new weapons. Lord Elrond took immediate interest in the swords and began to inspect the newly acquired weapons that they proffered for inspection.

Rylee looked down at her plate and was pleased to see the fresh greens. Growing up in Aman, she was used to a great variety of fresh foods and it was over a month since she last remembered having a salad. As she ate, she was only half listening to the conversations around her. She was amused as the entire Company purposely gave Kili as little information about her part in the battle as possible, while he was becoming more and more frustrated about not seeing her use her axes.

"This is Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver," Elrond said reading the runes engraved into the metal of the beautiful sword. "They were forged in the First Age in the West-."

A frown crossed Rylee's brow as her mind returned to the conversation at her own table. Rylee looked at the curved sword, her eyes widened as she took in the familiar blade and she interrupted, "It cannot be. May I see those?"

"Do you know these weapons Rylee?" Thorin asked her, meeting her gaze as he handed her Orcrist. She took it gingerly in her hands, her fingers brushing lovingly over the ridges in the handle which was some sort of bone and pulled the blade from its scabbard.

"Aye I do, they may have been made in the First Age and in the West, Elrond, but these, these were forged by my hand. This is Orcrist; Tooth of the Dragon. Flexible and strong, it will remain forever sharp. Dragon's tooth handle no weld marks, the flow in metal is flawless." Rylee told him with a sly smile. Rylee handed Orcrist back to Thorin, he smiled at her fondly. "There was a long dagger that accompanied it. I made them during my first life before Gondolin fell."

"But the engravings are Elvish," Elrond looked at her in surprise, his brow furrowed.

"Aye, the swords were gifts for Ecthelion and Turgon for the Goblin Wars. It only made sense to use Elvish runes as they were Elves. One of the benefits to being raised in Aman, I learned all of the languages." Rylee smiled at him. She took Glamdring into her hands and looked over the blade, checking to ensure that it too was in good condition, she held it before Gandalf as though in presentation, "This is Glamdring, the inscription reads, 'Turgon, King of Gondolin, wields has and holds the sword Glamdring. Foe of Morgoth's realm, Hammer of the Orcs.' I purposely wrote the runes in Sindarin, as a jest, I told him that Quenya was too pure a language to inscribe on a weapon of ruin. I forged these at the same time as I forged Gil-galad's war lance, Aeglos."

"So these are the weapons that won your friendship with Elorin?" Gandalf ask with a note of surprise.

"Ave, I thought they were lost when Gondolin fell," Rylee nodded and looked at her companions, "Orcrist was given to King Turgon after Ecthelion died killing Gothmog. Turgon carried both into the final battle, I saw him wearing them. How in the world did they end up in a troll horde?"

Gandalf took the great sword from her hands, reveling in the knowledge of his new acquisition. As she pulled her hand away something in her mind tugged her hard and she was drawn away from the table and out of her mind. She could picture the weapons clear as day. Two swords, a pair of matching blades for a skilled swordsman, the only discernible difference was in the white and black bone hilts, a pair of long daggers, fighting blades for someone small and slight. Two long swords, both made of welded, layered, and folded iron, both double edged with red mithril. There the similarities ended, one had the hilt and pommel of dragon scale, the handle was a dragon claw wrapped in blue leather. The other had a hilt and pommel made of carved ebony, encrusted with black diamonds and shimmering sapphires. The handle was seamless black werewolf bone, wrapped in blue dragon leather. There was more, so much more that flashed through her mind. Everything cataloged away for later. The world spun for a second and she came back to herself. Thorin had his hand on her shoulder to keep her from falling out of her seat.

"Are you alright?" Thorin asked her his face concerned, having seen the lass' eyes completely fall unfocussed, rolling back into her head for a long moment, and her body start to slump. Both Gandalf and Elrond looked on in concern.

"Aye, it was just a moment of divine inspiration. I just need a forge." Rylee said, somewhat out of breath. "How long will we be staying Thorin?"

"I have not yet decided, why?" Thorin asked her quietly.

"Because inspiration doesn't hit me like that very often, and I might well be in the Forge for several days, if my vision was correct, at least a week." Rylee whispered, her voice weak from the sudden influx of power. The three males exchanged worried looks.

"The magic calls doesn't it?" Thorin asked whispering back to her. She just nodded in response. She needed to spend a week doing something that would weaken her, in a place where he was certain that they would not be welcome. He sighed softly, he would give her as much time as he could possibly afford for her, "Is it part of your quest?"

"Yes," She whispered as she nodded once. Their conversation ended there as Lindir returned then with three bottles of wine, the first of which was already opened. He placed all three on the table before her. "Thank you Lindir."

"My Queen," He bowed slightly and stood back against the wall. He watched Rúnyatári with interest and curiosity.

"I honor those who fell in battle, those who died in my name, and those who shall no longer dance in the halls of the living." Rylee said as she lifted the bottle up, a quiet toast to the fallen. She took the bottle and began to drink. Thorin watched as she guzzled the entire bottle, not a drop wasted, and placed the empty bottle on the table. As she did she released a deep low belch, long and loud. It echoed and reverberated over the terrace for a moment before finally fading. Laughter and cheers fell over the two lower tables as they watched the antics at the larger table.

"There it is!" Dwalin drawled looking over at his brother, "I told you her Dwarf side would show up eventually."

Thorin's eyebrow rose in surprise and Rylee giggled girlishly, "What? I am a Dwarf after all, or at least mostly a Dwarf."

"I never thought that was even in question," Elrond deadpanned, looking Rylee in the eye, making her laugh. Elrond smirked and his eyebrow rose, then he quipped sardonically, "Durin would be proud, Rylee, that was well brought up."

"Yes, well, he was the one to introduce me to the joys of drinking," Rylee responded cheekily, a smirk played about her lips.

"Looks like he did a fine job, lass," Bofur grinned at her making the others laugh. The only one not laughing was Kili, who smiled weakly.

"That was even bigger than mine when we were in the Shire," Ori said his eyes wide as he looked up at Rylee in amazement.

"That was nothing! I have a friend who can out do even me and I won a burping contest against Durin," Rylee grinned thinking about her dear friend.

"I have heard about you two and your antics," Elrond chuckled, Celeborn told him about the contests his wife had with Rylee back in the First Age. According to him, the pair were quite formidable when it came to outshining their Dwarf friends. "Celeborn has told me a few stories that I am completely confounded by. It just does not seem within her nature to do such things."

"Yet it is in her nature, I called her Nerwen once as a joke and apparently her mother called her the same name. Different reasons of course, but I thought it was amusing. Now that I have proven that I am truly a Dwarf, does anyone dare to share a glass of Fire Wine in a toast for the living?" She asked as she opened the next bottle and poured herself a glass. The wine was clear as crystal and bubbles ran up the sides of the glass. It was like water to Rylee. She loved the taste and the feel of the wine.

All of the dwarves nodded positively and Rylee chuckled quietly to herself. Thorin met her eyes and found a mischievous twinkle within them. Fire Wine was the most potent of Elven wines. Thorin had it once, long ago. It went down sweet and smooth, but once the aftertaste of fresh berries presented itself the wine began to burn leaving a trail of fire through the mouth, throat, and belly. Elrond only took a small amount, as did Gandalf, Thorin followed suit and wondered what the cheeky lass was up to. The bottle was passed around and Thorin watched in amusement as only Balin, Dwalin, Dori, Oin and Gloin refrained from filling their glasses. Once all the glasses were lifted, Rylee raised hers in a toast.

"To my friends, to the dwarves, elves, men, and hobbits that grace these halls, to those that live on in the dance we call life. Valar blessed, we all live in a state of love and grace, as we go forth to battle each new day with fierce honor and bravery!" Rylee drank, the others followed suit each taking a deep sip from their glasses.

There was a moment of appreciation for the sweet smooth wine, and then their throats caught fire. All but the head table and the elders were holding their chests and throats in agony. Only Kili and Fili made any attempt to drink the remainder of their glass. Rylee laughed and opened the third bottle. Thorin chuckled, "Cheers, Rylee. I take it this is redemption for the spiders?"

"Nay Thorin," Rylee grinned and took a sip from her last bottle. "I just wanted to hear their reaction to my favorite wine."

"Don't you think you should slow it down, Rylee?" Thorin asked her with concern. Regular Elven wine was potent, but Fire Wine was doubly so, if she kept drinking like she was he was afraid she would be quite ill come the morning.

"Do not worry Ugshar," Rylee chuckled softly meeting his gaze. It would take the average dwarf two bottles of fire wine to get completely drunk, elves it took four. "It takes around six bottles of Fire Wine to get me drunk, and I only ever drink three bottles. Tonight it will be less, since I shared."

Elrond looked at the Dwarven pair for a long moment, he wondered at their relationship. Thorin seemed to dote on her, as though he cared for her. She did wear a new braid, similar to the one from Durin, he wondered what it meant. He brushed it off and looked at Gandalf bringing the conversation back to the swords they found on the road, "So, how did you come by those blades? What is this about a Troll horde?"

"We came across a trio of Trolls as we travelled the Great East Road," Gandalf told him seriously. "Shortly before we were ambushed by Orcs."

"And what were you doing on the Great East Road?" Elrond asked curiously. The atmosphere at the table became tense as no one answered. Thorin felt certain that an inquisition was about to begin, and he really was not interested in having to defend his quest to reclaim his homeland. He definitely didn't want to defend himself to an Elf of all people.

"Going East of course," Rylee quipped trying to lighten the mood, making Thorin smirk, her eyes sparkling. Elrond just shook his head in amusement, looking at Gandalf for further explanation.

"Excuse me, my dear, I just need to walk for a moment," Thorin excused himself from the table. He moved to the other side of the terrace overlooking the bay, distancing himself from the others. He just needed some space, but he was not fool enough to go overly far.

Rylee watched him go, she was saddened for him. His trust in the Elves was broken long ago and she wondered if there was a way for her to help him find it again. There was some banter at the far table as the dwarves discussed the slow tempo music that was being played. Rylee tried not to laugh. They were about to get rowdy, and she knew that once the dwarves started, there would be no stopping them. She leaned over to Elrond and whispered, "My friend, your Durin guests are about to wreak havoc on your terrace. At this rate we will not see the second course to our meal."

"Patience never was a trait of Dwarves. If they are anything like Durin we will need some sort of diversion before it gets out of hand," Elrond whispered in return.

"Do you have such a diversion?" Rylee asked her eyebrows rising in curiosity.

"I may have arranged something," Elrond smirked at her, a cheeky twinkle graced his eyes and she wondered what the Elf Lord was up to.

Kili watched her chat amiably with their host, frustration and anger filled him. Leaving him behind in the courtyard, flirting with the Captain of the Guard, and now cozying up to their host, Rylee seemed determined to ignore him. She looked so calm and relaxed, sipping her wine out of her bottle, completely unaffected by the burning berry aftertaste that had his throat on fire. He took it as a challenge. If she could drink the Fire Wine like water then he would too.

"Ah, there's only one thing for it," Bofur said as he rose from the table, stepping onto a small pedestal sitting between the two small tables.

_There's an inn, there's an inn_

_There's a merry old inn_

_Beneath an old grey hill,_

_There they brew a beer so brown _

_That the man in the moon himself came down,_

_And there did drink his fill_

Bilbo nearly preened when Bofur started to sing the song that he wrote and was one of the first to start singing along. The glint in Elrond's eyes brightened as the Dwarves started to sing along, tossing food at each other. His face remained impartial and stoic and he shot Lindir a concerned look. Rylee's lips curled up in a devilish smile, whatever Elrond had planned, the Elves that were in attendance did not know about it.

_Oh the Ostler has a tipsy cat_

_That plays a five string fiddle;_

_And up and down he runs his bow_

_Now squeaking high, now purring low,_

_Now sawing in the middle_

More food was thrown and Elrond smirked knowingly at Rylee. It was only going to get worse if something was not done quickly, as it was there were pudding cakes, breads, and salad flying around the terrace. Even Thorin was tapping his feet along with Bofur's song, unable to contain his mirth at such a jovial scene. There was just something uncontainable about Durin's Folk.

_So the cat and the fiddle_

_Played hey-diddle-diddle_

_A jig that would wake the dead_

_He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune_

_While the landlord shook the man in the moon:_

_It's after three he said!_

As soon as Bofur finished his rendition of Bilbo's song Rylee was ready to make her escape. She rose from the table and was about to turn for the exit when she heard something coming at her, she ducked away as a cake hit the wall in the exact spot she would have stood. She didn't need to turn around to know that Kili was the one to throw it. It came from his spot at the low table. She pulled in an annoyed breath, ready to let him have it when she heard a familiar step, the heavy tread of a very tall Dwarven-Elf.

"An axe is not a weapon for a Queen!" His familiar voice roared from across the terrace and everyone froze and turned to look at Rylee. Rylee stiffened in a rush of intense emotion. Everything about her slowed and she could hear the beat of her heart as her breath left her in a surprised gasp. Her heart raced in anticipation. Happy tears pricked her eyes, and she tried her best not to cry. Her hands rose to cover her face as tears filled her eyes. She blinked them away as pure joy filled her. She was certain that Elorin and Elihara were lost to the destruction of Beleriand, but they were alive. They were Alive!

Rylee didn't turn toward the stranger and from where he was standing Thorin could not see the expression on Rylee's face, he only saw the tension in her body. He was ready to pull his sword. His hand was stilled when he saw both Gandalf and Elrond started to smile at the exchange, they seemed to know exactly what was coming. Thorin wondered what was up. The tension on the terrace rose, some with anger at the obvious insult and others with the knowledge of a heartfelt reunion. The entire company froze and looked from Rylee to the massive man who made his entrance. He was much bigger than any elf they ever saw, but an elf he seemed to be, as he strode into the middle of the terrace holding onto a fiddle, "She should arm herself with her wit and do battle only in a dance."

"Then may my foes fall at my feet, for the only dancing I do is with my axe," Rylee retorted hotly a grin spreading across her face. It was always this way, the teasing, the taunting, only one of her dearest friends would ever dare to talk to her as he did. She turned to greet him and threw her arms out for a hug.

"Then put those axes to use and dance for us!" The massive elf roared as he approached the head table. He put the fiddle on the table, picked Rylee up and crushed her in a hard hug. He was tall with bright silvery blonde hair which he wore in a singular braid down his back and a long silver blond beard that easily held as many braids in it as Gloin's with black clasps. These braids were not Elf braids they were purely Dwarvish in appearance, with intricate knots and clasps. The fabric of his long red formal jacket was stretched across his breadth showcasing his massive arms, shoulders, wide chest, a narrow waist, and strong lean legs. He was very handsome, this Elf, any woman would easily fall under his spell. Kili stiffened in rage at seeing his One in another man's embrace, but Bifur's hand on his shoulder kept him seated.

Rylee's hands framed the handsome Elf's face in a loving caress, her eyes meeting his, "Fangon! Êl síla nan lû e-govaded vín!"

Kili was fuming, she was his. This Elf could not have her. There was too much familiarity between Rylee and the Elf. She was still in the embrace of the tall, handsome elf and neither seemed to be in any rush to let go. Kili wanted to run him through with his sword, only Bifur and Bofur were holding him in place, and his uncle Thorin was standing at his back whispering to him, "Calm down Kili, they are just friends. He wears marriage braids you fool."

"'Law lîn síla sui Ithil, Rúnyatári. Ages have passed since Ancalagon fell. We heard you came for Scatha, but when you did not visit, we feared that the Valar decided to keep you with them." The tall man said softly as Rylee smiled sadly and released his face. The tall elf stepped away and lifted the fiddle in his free hand, "I wrote you a song, would you like to hear it?"

"Aye, Elorin, I would!" Rylee said looking up at her old friend. She had not yet seen Elihara, but if Elorin was still in this world then it was possible that Elihara was too.

"Better yet, love, would you like to dance to it?" another softer, feminine voice approached from behind. Rylee spun from Elorin's embrace and rushed to hug the thin Elven female that approached. She was short and quite voluptuous for an elf, standing just inches over Rylee. Her black hair was a riot of unruly curls with Dwarven braids of marriage, motherhood and family gracing the thick curls. Her face was angular with bright eyes and soft lips, her ears were less pointed than the other Elves but still dainty. She too wore red, to match her husband. Beside the pair Rylee looked diminutive but still no less beautiful. It was like she filled in the perfect trio.

"Elihara! Mellon nin!" Rylee grinned as she was hauled into a group hug. "As long as I can dance with you my feet may never stop moving!"

"Ah, lass we have missed you so!" Elihara grinned down at her. "Come let's dance. Shall we show these blue bloods a thing or two of song and dance?"

"Aye!" Rylee grinned, looking up at them with a knowing smile. "Can you play me something fast? I want a driving beat, I want to move, really move."

"Well of course I can!" Elorin scoffed as though it should be completely obvious. "Try to keep up my dear!"

"Do you remember the steps, Rylee?" Elihara smiled back, pulling the swords from her back.

"Like I will ever forget!" Rylee said as a feral grin spread across her face. She grabbed both of her axes.

There were gasps from several of the elves on the terrace but Lord Elrond only motioned for them to step back. A small smile played around his mouth and there was a glimmer in his eyes. He wished his family could be present to see this spectacle, Ilúvatar knew that he told them of Rylee and her antics many times. Celebrian and Arwen especially would love to see this, but Arwen was visiting Lothlorien and Celebrian was in Aman. Both adored Elihara and were often told of how Rylee introduced her to Elorin. His sons Elladan and Elrohir were away on patrol along the borders, they were due back in a few days time.

The ladies moved away from the table into the center of the wide terrace and Elorin pulled on his bow. Rylee and Elihara bowed low holding their weapons off to their sides. The music started, quick and up tempo, jaunty music made to get people dancing. Rylee and Elihara began to dance. Their feet were moving in intricate steps along to the music and their weapons swinging in their hands. The sharp weapons caught the fading sun light as it hovered on the horizon, making them look like they were made of molten metal. The Dwarves started drumming to the tune of the fiddle and Elorin began to sing;

_"Ring Diddle Ring, There's a mighty Queen, Standing on a wire._

_Ring a Ding, Ding, That Dwarven Queen, Will set the world afire!_

The pair of dancers sent each other a quick look and soon they were juggling their weapons into the air catching them with quick hands. Every movement was made in unison, dark haired elf-maid beside a small fiery dwarrowdam. Blades flashing, their every movement complemented each other. Elorin stomped his foot and sawed on his bow. The rest of the Elves began to clap along, watching the spectacle in true fascination.

_Ding, Ding, Ding, Said the illustrious Queen, Sirs we must conspire._

_Ring Diddle Ring, That adventurous Queen, Goes to set the world afire._

She was whirling and twirling to the beat of the music, her axes were spinning and flying in her hands as she moved them with the music. Kili could not help but feel the joy as she kicked up her feet and danced, her short skirt moving fluidly with her body over her heavy stockings. He could see every step, every quick movement as she moved to the music. Every time she reached out to catch her weapons from the air, his breath caught in a moment of fear. He long forgot that they even argued about the Orc battle on the plains as he watched her dance, he was so caught up in the dangers of what she was doing now.

_Ring a Ding, Ding, for that Mithril Queen, Has set them up a pyre._

_Ding, Ding, Ding, Cause this Rylee Queen, Went and set the world afire._

There was no break between songs. Elorin jumped directly into the next one, changing the speed to a quicker one. If the dwarves thought the speed of the dance was reckless before, with the new song it became breakneck and wild. Both of the women kept up easily and Rylee began to laugh and sing along. It was a song she knew very well. Kili's ears perked, he loved to hear her sing, her voice was strong and melodious. It was a voice made for a Vala, singing a song that sounded lewd lecherous and highly inappropriate. Bofur started laughing at the spectacle.

_I have an axe, a merry little axe,_

_'Tis the only axe for me,_

_I love my axe, my merry little axe,_

_'Tis all the axe I need!_

_Watch my axe, my merry little axe,_

_I swing it straight and free_

_Feel my axe, my merry little axe,_

_I shall rock it into thee. _

Kili swallowed a gulp of wine as they sang and he watched Rylee's body as she moved to the music, she was moving so quickly, her movements were so fluid. He wondered if she realized how seductive some of her movements were. They stopped the swinging of their weapons and hooked arms, their weapons held up between them. Still moving their feet they matched step for step as they tapped their heels and toes to each others in a two person jig. Then they would break apart and move back together to complete the same sequence on the opposite side.

_I have this sword this merry little sword,_

_'Tis the only sword for me,_

_I love my sword, my merry little sword,_

_'Tis all the sword I need!_

_Watch my sword, my merry little sword,_

_I swing it straight and free,_

_Feel my sword, my merry little sword,_

_I shall prick it into thee._

Fili nudged Kili in the ribs as they heard the slight sexual innuendo in the song. Kili downed the rest of his glass, ignoring the feeling of euphoria that was starting to fill him. Then the song changed again. The women rushed at each other with fierce looks upon their faces. They roared a battle cry and began to crash the swords and axes together in time with the music, the metal on metal creating a great clashing sound that rang out like bells, punctuating the music. It was obviously choreographed to make it look like they were doing battle in time with the fiddle and the stomping of feet.

_Smash, crash, sword on axe_

_Fills them all with wonder_

_Bash, Flash, hear them crash,_

_Let them hear the thunder!_

Quick as a wink they moved away from each other still keeping time to the music. Kili watched in amazement as Rylee moved through the motions of the dance, wondering how or where she learned it. Suddenly the weapons were flying through the air and the entire audience, both Elves and Dwarves, gasped as the dancers began to toss the weapons at each other. They were juggling the weapons between them as though they were nothing at all! A single miscalculation could mean death or dismemberment for either woman. Fear spiked within Kili as he watched in awe, he was gripping his seat. He reached over and grabbed Bofur's half filled glass of Fire Wine and downed it, this time reveling in the feel of the burn in his throat.

_Your axe, my sword,_

_Your sword, my axe,_

_They flash they fly_

_Past your little eye_

_They dance as they go by _

_Your sword, my axe_

_Your axe, my sword_

_They spin they sigh_

_As they whisper by_

_Watch as they fly high_

_Higher and Higher_

_The world will conspire_

_To show your heart's desire_

_So Rylee Queen, Go set the world afire!_

The music stopped dead, the women caught their weapons and both dipped into a low bow, facing each other. Both of the women were glowing with a fine film of perspiration, panting heavily as they tried to catch their breath. The elves began to clap joyously and the dwarves hollered and hooted. Thorin watched from behind Fili and smiled a little at the thought of his conversation with Rylee in the rain. Even dancing was done in a way that was completely authentic to Rylee. To think she once said that any kind of dancing was useless and boring, he should have known to suggest adding weapons.

"Welcome to the dance of the Oddlings!" Elorin grinned at Rylee, and she began to laugh. Rylee was a hybrid while Elihara and Elorin were Elven-Dwarfs. During their time together they heard every slur possible, hybrid, Halfling and abominations were among the kindest. Ultimately the three bonded over their oddities and they became great friends. Elrond and Elros were always fond of the trio, in fact it was Elros who gave them the name Oddlings.

"Oddlings indeed! I should have known that they would be with you Elrond," Rylee turned to him and smiled fondly and then looked back at Elihara and Elorin, "They would not fit better anywhere else!"

"Well, I must say that you have won the evening with your spectacle, and thankfully saved my terrace from complete ruin." Lord Elrond said as he handed Rylee her bottle of wine. She took a deep drink, wetting her dried pallet. "These two have missed you at their forge Rylee and we all but forgot what a joy it is to watch you dance."

"Thank you Elrond, I have missed them as well, this was the most wondrous surprise," Rylee grinned up at Elrond. "Though I should have known that your distraction from the Durin legacy would be me."

"I knew that you of all people would be up to the challenge." He smiled in return, he was much too serious and Rylee loved it when he smiled. She wondered what had happened to make him so much more stoic than he used to be. "I should probably go see what Lindir had planned to do about the second course."

"That is likely a good idea Elrond," Rylee chuckled quietly, she watched Fili and Dwalin talking quietly together, and Elrond's eyes followed hers, "you know what Dwarves are like when they don't get their fill of meat.".

"Even after Ages have passed, they are still very much the same," Elrond agreed, he looked at the younger of the two Dwarves that Rylee was watching, and he was struck by a sense of recognition. Other than braid placement and an overall youthful attitude the Dwarf held an uncanny resemblance to Durin. "Odd, of all the reincarnations of Durin, I have never seen anyone quite so-."

"Unbelievable, isn't it?" Rylee nodded knowingly, "He is so much the same and yet so completely different. The humor and the cheek, that is there in spades, but Fili is so much wiser than Durin."

"We will speak when you have time Rylee, and I will contact Saruman as quickly as possible. I understand that time is of the essence. In the meantime I will do what I can to find the other information you are seeking," Elrond said before he bowed once and walked away from her. He knew that she would have no time to talk now that she was among her friends.

Thorin approached Rylee with an admiring smile, "Our dancing lessons with Nessa would have been much more fun if I had thought to add weapons. You dance beautifully."

"Thank you, Thorin! I learned that dancing adds grace during battle. I would have never known that if it had not been for a graceful slide to the left at a most vital moment. Come, you must meet my friends!" Rylee pulled him into a half hug and introduced him to the couple. Within minutes he found out that they were two of the people whose braids adorned her hair. Rylee was the one to set them up and that both of them were half Elf and half Dwarf. Their mixed blood surprised him greatly but he didn't let it show. Thorin knew that it was possible for Elves and Dwarves to mix but it was extremely rare and the children usually suffered for it. From what he had seen, Elorin and Elihara seemed to be wonderful people and for Rylee's sake he would look past the elf blood. After finding out that Thorin was a Weapons Smith, Elorin and Thorin separated from the group to talk trade.

Bilbo joined them then and Rylee introduced him to Elihara, "Bilbo Baggins, it is my honor to introduce you to Elihara. I met her in my third life when we were in the war camps of North Lindon."

"Mister Baggins, it is my pleasure. One of my daughters married a Hobbit, his name was Norwend Took. He came through from the Wilderlands in the year two thousand of this age. He was one of the last to make the journey to the Shire. He spoke of you Rylee, he said you rescued him from a pair of cave trolls that wanted his Hobbit hole." Elihara smiled at the memory. Rylee's mind swam with the image of the black haired hobbit.

"Elihara was he related to Fleet? This Norwend Took?" Rylee said as she tried to make sense of the images in her mind. Fleet Took was an Elf from the first age, how was it that a hobbit had his name?

"Why yes but didn't you already know that? I mean, you stayed with Fleet and Norwend when you were here for Scatha," Elihara told her softly. "He told us all about it when he journeyed through."

"I don't remember that life Elihara. I don't remember Scatha," Rylee said as her heart clenched in her chest.

"That is troubling," Elihara whispered softly. She took Rylee's hands in her own and looked her in the eye. Elihara noticed the sadness, anger, and frustration that seemed to flicker in waves across the little Dwarrowdam's face.

"My mother was Beladonna Took! You are my ancestor! How many children did you have in total?" Bilbo said as he tried to break the sudden rise in tension. His curiosity was in full force as he met his very own ancestor. Rylee freed her hands and stood to the side allowing Bilbo to take over the conversation. She watched the company as her mind tried in vain to assemble the flashes of images that fell like a puzzle through her mind. The dwarves were huddled close together on one side, the elves on the other. Kili was nowhere that she could see him and Rylee wondered where he went.

"We had two girls. Our eldest daughter joined the Dunedain, she has never married and according to her, she never intends to." Elihara grinned, and glanced at Rylee, "Her father would tell her tales of a wild Dwarf queen and she decided that she was going to remain free and discover the world, and become a weapons expert like Rúnyatári."

"Has she done so?" Rylee asked, her own curiosity sparking to life as she heard about Elihara's life and children.

"Oh, yes, she is one of their greatest weapons masters." Elihara said seriously. "Their secret weapon so to speak."

"What happened to Kendir?" Rylee asked quietly, she watched Elihara as a flash of pain passed over her face. Rylee didn't need to know more, she knew he was gone.

"He died in the war against Sauron," Elihara said softly meeting Rylee's eyes. Though Rylee never really got along with Kendir, Elihara's older brother was an honorable warrior.

Bilbo and the elf maid were deep in conversation, and Rylee stood beside them sipping on the fiery liquid contained in her bottle. Kili stood in the shadows watching her. He was feeling lightheaded from the drink after having finished all of the half filled glasses of wine on their tables. Kili stepped forward out of the shadows in front of Rylee wanting to talk to her. To explain. He needed to hear her say he was forgiven. She shot him a dark look, one filled with hurt, and turned back to her friends, resolutely shutting him out. Fili and Dwalin stepped in his path before he could move more than a foot. Both of them were glaring down at him.

"She is still angry with you, Kili, you didn't see her face when you were flirting with that elf maid. You hurt her again," Fili whispered, as he pulled him back and away. He could do nothing but stand back and watch as the others congratulated the dancers. "Though I did warn you, she would be insulted if you tried to hold her back."

Dwalin too stood beside him, nodding in agreement. "Let her be with her friends for now. Give her some space. You can find her tomorrow when her fury has cooled."

Kili watched helplessly as Rylee was once again approached by others and drawn into yet another conversation. Thorin left Elorin and joined them moments later, "She is a War Maiden Kili. Where other maids will run from battle, she will stand and fight. You will only hurt her if you try to stop her."

"It was not my intention to hold her back, I was just concerned seeing her covered in blood," Kili tried to explain his reasoning. "I only wanted to know she was alright, it did not come out the way I planned."

"Do you think it would come out better after drinking all of that wine?" Thorin chided him quietly, trying not to bring any attention to Kili's deteriorating sobriety.

Rylee watched Kili and Thorin for a moment, wondering what they were talking about. Every time Kili looked at her it was with a brooding scowl and she didn't want to fight with him anymore, perhaps if she gave him time to calm down. She was not happy that the little elleth was making eyes at him in the first place, for him to flirt back was heartbreaking. The insult to the elleth that followed was easily transferred to her as Rylee was as beardless as any Elf, her cheekbones as high, and her skin just as creamy. Kili said he preferred Dwarrowdams with beards. She just didn't know what to think of this, considering he accepted her token. Was he playing her like Thorin warned that he would?

"This world has been missing the joy that you bring to it Rylee Emitheral." Gandalf said as he approached Rylee for a moment and she hugged him tightly in thanks.

"I quite forgot what it was like to find release in the dance," Rylee told them all.

Bofur joined them then and swung her in a tuneless quickstep. "Ah lass, if only we had music, I would put those quick feet of yours to the test but all they have here are harps."

"You think that a quickstep cannot be played on a harp?" Rylee's brow quirked and a small smile lifted her lips as though in challenge.

"If it can be done, I have not yet heard it." Bofur smirked at her.

"Well master dwarf, take up your dancing shoes and ask Elihara to dance. I will show you some magic on a harp," Rylee said stalking off toward the stunned elleth sitting forlornly at her instrument. She looked up in bewilderment, as Rylee asked, "May I? I have a lesson to teach a Dwarf."

"Yes, your majesty," The girl said with surprise, standing up from her bench. Rylee took her seat and pulled the harp back against her shoulder. Rylee started slow, getting used to the sound and tuning of the instrument. Then she started to tap her heel on the floor, her fingers moved swiftly across the strings, plucking, pulling and strumming. Elorin moved closer, picked his fiddle back up, and joined in keeping time. Bofur pulled Elihara into his arms and they danced around the terrace, several of the elf maids created a train and began moving in time to the jaunty tune. The Elven harpist stood at Rylee's shoulder, watching her every move, tapping her foot in time to hers. As she played, Rylee quietly told the elleth how to pluck and stroke the strings to make a quicker tune without muddying the sound of the harp. She knew she didn't need to speak loudly and the Elf maid was listening intently to every word she said.

Gandalf laughed and clapped his hands watching the spectacle that always seemed to follow in Rylee's wake. Dwarves and Elves intermingled on the terrace, dancing along with the tune that Rylee was playing on the harp. Rylee looked into the shadows and noticed that Daeron was watching the scene unfold. She also noticed that his eyes kept returning to the young harpist. When the song ended Rylee lowered the harp and stood, the Elven harp player resumed her seat. She picked up where Rylee left off and grinned up at Rylee, "Thank you, Rúnyatári, for the lesson."

"What is your name, elleth?" Rylee asked softly.

"Lerain, my Lady." The Elf maid responded softly.

"You are very welcome Lerain," Rylee smiled at her and she stepped into the shadows and stood beside Daeron. She looked up at him, "Her name is Lerain. Do you play an instrument Daeron?"

He simply nodded and looked down at Rylee, an odd look in his eyes. Rylee just smiled in return, and whispered, "Play with her, make music with her, and most of all Daeron, follow your heart."

She walked away and a few moments later the trill of pan pipes joined the harp and the music played on. Rylee looked back and noticed that Lerain wore a beautiful flush on her pale cheeks and Daeron's lips were quirked up in a playful smirk. She didn't know how but she suddenly found herself in front of Kili, a very angry and somewhat drunk Kili.

"Do you want him Rylee? The tall Elf?" Kili sneered at her, his tone was hostile. She flinched at the sound of his anger. She could smell the wine on him, and saw him falter as he stepped forward.

"Does it matter, Kili? You have been flirting with elleths and insulting the ellons all evening," Rylee whispered hoarsely, trying in vain to keep her emotions in check, "You have made it clear that I am not your type."

"Then perhaps I should not have accepted this," Kili said as he moved to take off the cuff.

Rylee stopped his hand. Her fingers lovingly caressed the cuff on his wrist. She kept her eyes low so that he would not see the hurt or the tears in her eyes. Her voice was hoarse and she wasn't sure if he could hear her above the party behind them. "It is yours Kili. I made it for you. It can never and will never belong to anyone other than you."

She turned away, filled with regret, and blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. She should never have spoken in anger, she should never have let Daeron flirt with her, and she never should have given Kili her heart. If she hadn't, his rejection wouldn't hurt so much. She stepped back out into the light and within moments she was pulled into the dance by Bofur. He noticed the tears in her eyes, the pain that she was trying to hide and he smiled cheekily at her, determined to cheer her up.

"You are quite skilled with those fingers of yours Rylee, now if only you could learn to play your flute with as much skill." Bofur teased her.

"I only squeaked twice last time I played, you must admit I am getting better." Rylee grinned at him as he twirled her around the floor.

Bofur grinned back at her, "Aye, much better than the first time, you scared the birds from the trees."

"I was not that bad!" Rylee protested with a laugh. She was spun into Fili's arms and once again they were off dancing across the terrace.

"No you were much worse than bad Rylee," Fili teased her picking up the conversation, "It was like a cutter on glass."

Rylee had no choice but to laugh at that, it was the truth. Her flute playing was downright horrid. "I did warn him that I was better with strings."

"That you did Rylee," Fili smiled at her. He looked over at Kili who was watching Rylee with a hard frown on his face. He was clutching tight to the cuff at his wrist, as though it was a lifeline, his poor brother watching as his lady was being hauled around the dance floor. Fili grinned at him and spun Rylee again, purposely showing Kili what he was missing. She laughed as she came back into his arms and Fili grinned back, "You are a wonderful dancer. How many dances do you know?"

"Well Nessa taught me all of the court dances, but I learned these quick step dances from Elorin and Elihara in my third life. I forgot how much I missed it." Rylee said as they came around the turn, the music finally came to an end and she was swept into a hug from the pair of Armorers, who were awaiting her, "Thank you for the dance, Fili, but what I need right now is a -."

"Forge!" Elorin and Elihara finished her sentence in unison, making the trio laugh. Elihara handed her the half empty bottle of Fire Wine and Elorin hooked his large arm around her shoulders and told her conspiratorially, "Come this way my dear lady, we have just what you need!"

Gandalf stopped beside Kili and said, "Have you ever seen a maid do something as dangerous and as beautiful as what she has done tonight? Dancing with blades and bringing people together. It is an exceptional talent, don't you think?"

"It was spectacular," Kili agreed, still stunned by what he witnessed earlier in the evening, and now disheartened at what had just transpired between them. He heard the pain in her voice as she spoke to him and he knew that his actions were what hurt her. What didn't he know about the token she gave him? She was being escorted swiftly away by her Elf friends and he couldn't even go after her. "She surprises me at every turn. I never know what to think of her or what she will do next."

"And to think Elihara hated Rylee when they first met," Gandalf said softly, he was in a story type of mood, Kili could tell. Fili and Bofur came closer as did Ori and Nori. Bilbo joined them, wanting to hear a tale of his ancestors. Thorin was standing beside him with a smirk on his face.

"Rylee told me that she met Elorin in Gondolin during her first life. She took over his forge for an entire week when she needed to find clarity, keeping Elorin from his work for days. It drove him mad. He didn't understand why this little dwarrowdam shut him out of his own forge, until she came out with a gift for a king. I had no idea that the sword was Glamdring until this night. Elorin tried to find a singular flaw in its construction and he found none." Gandalf said as he told the story, "because of this a kinship developed between the Armorers which quickly developed into a deep friendship. During her second life she spent most of her time in Gondolin and a good portion of it in Elorin's forge."

"But what about Elihara?" Ori asked, his eyes bright with curiosity. Oin and Gloin moved closer to the group, Oin holding up his ear trumpet so he could hear the tale.

"During her third life it was still the same, Rylee still visited Elorin's forge as often as she could. Elihara was a milliner's daughter, who received an order for some work to be done for Elorin's mother. Elihara was not a milliner by trade. She much preferred to work with leather. She went by the Armory to drop off the order for Elorin's mother and she spied Elorin. She fell madly, hopelessly in love with him. He was her One. Only he never even knew she existed and she was certain that it was because of a small Dwarrowdam that was constantly coming and going from the Armory." Gandalf told them, a cheeky grin starting to cross his face, "One day, bright and early, Elihara walked down to the Armory with the hopes of finally meeting the handsome smith. Instead she crossed paths with a battle worn and weary Rylee, just back from a week at the front fighting the dragons. She was headed to the Armory to mend some links on her whip, I believe it was."

"Regardless, they ran into one another and an argument ensued. It escalated to the point that Elihara threw her sword at the dwarrowdam, and to her surprise, Rylee caught the sword out of the air. Rylee being the spitfire that she is threw it back, with the same result. Soon axes and swords were flying back and forth, neither one getting any closer to hitting the other. I had to step in and order them to stop their useless barrage. Finally they agreed to a draw, and sheathed their weapons." Gandalf told his enraptured audience, Ori's quill flying across the pages of his journal. "What neither of the lasses knew was that Elorin had witnessed the entire thing, from beginning to end, and had started to set their movements to music. The girls ended up talking, trying to work out their differences in a less violent fashion. After a few short minutes of discussion, Rylee was hauling Elihara over to the forge and introducing the pair to each other. All it took was for Elorin to look Elihara in the eyes and he was gone. Head over heels."

"So Rylee set them up and the trio started to learn that dance?" Fili laughed in disbelief. After seeing her in action over the past couple of hours he knew that only Rylee would be able to accomplish feats of such oddity. It also amused him to no end that his brother was jealous of a married man.

"Yes, Elihara and Elorin were married not long after, and during the next few months Rylee and I spent a great share of our time at the Armory, with Elrond and his twin Elros. They used to follow Rylee around wherever she went. They insisted on being her honor guard," Gandalf chuckled looking at his audience to see that Elrond had joined them. "I believe you used to pick on her something fierce."

"Rylee was absolutely fascinating," Elrond said with a small smile, "you must admit that she garnered a great deal of attention. I just wanted to see what would happen next."

"What happened next?" Fili couldn't help but ask.

"Oh, a great many things, Rylee had so many adventures during those five years she was with us. In the end I lost a very dear friend, and my father was able to slay the dragon." Elrond told them sadly.

Though Kili felt bad that Lord Elrond lost Rylee as his friend, he could not stop the relief that lifted the weight off of his shoulders. Elorin was married to Elihara, but considering the attention the little dwarrowdam seemed to attract from every male around her, he knew he had to do something and soon. "What was the whole point to that story, Gandalf?"

"She is wild and untamable Kili. To win her back, you must appreciate all of her, even the battle bred and rebellious side," Gandalf looked down at the dwarf, "Or the selfless one that rushes headlong into battle in defense of those she loves."

Gandalf walked away with Balin and Thorin, leaving the rest to look after him. Lord Elrond looked at Kili and said, "I think it was to tell you that Elorin isn't out to take your woman but there are others who will steal her out from under your nose given half the chance. You should claim her quick before someone else does."

Fili nudged his brother in the side as the elf walked away following after Gandalf, "Even the Elf is giving you advice."

Moments later several elves came out bearing a long table, within moments it was covered in cloth and then set with massive tureens of food. The scent of boar sausage, roasted potatoes, honey glazed root vegetables, fire seared corn and so much more. The Dwarves cheered at the sight of the spread laid out before them. Kili looked at it and walked away, making his way back to their quarters, the words of the Elf running through his head.


	20. Forging Ahead

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Chapter 20

Forging Ahead

May 28 – June 6

"So, mellon nin, what has you so twisted up that you need a forge?" Elihara asked her as they walked toward the Armory on the outskirts of the river city.

"Nothing," Rylee hedged, shaking off all thoughts of Kili and her overwhelming emotions for him. She took another swig of wine from the bottle, for a moment she wished for a keg of the fine wine, getting drunk seemed like a perfect occupation for someone in her state of mind. It was either that or a massive vat of Nienna's strawberry cream pie filling, no pie, just the filling. She answered with a half truth. "I was struck by Divine Inspiration. It was quite intense."

"Rylee you can lie to yourself, you cannot lie to me." Elihara said in a cajoling manner. She knew very well that the little dwarrowdam was not going to say a word as long as Elorin was nearby. She shot her husband a look and he nodded knowingly. "Elorin, would you be as kind as to make Rylee her tea? I think a cleansing tea is in order, since she just came in off the trail."

"Hint taken, ladies only," He said as he headed towards the house, "I will also prepare a platter of food for your internment in the Armory."

"So? Elorin is gone, you start talking, little miss War Maiden," Elihara looked at Rylee as they stepped into the immaculate smith shop. Rylee chugged the remainder of her wine and set the bottle near the door. "Tell me what has gotten you all worked up."

"Kili," Rylee moaned sadly as she dropped her head into her hands.

"Kili? What is-?" Rylee shook her head and Elihara reared back in surprise, "Who is Kili?"

"Tall dwarf, dark eyes, dark hair held in a dark clasp, blue grey tunic, young, and devilishly handsome," Rylee sighed as she shook his image out of her mind. She was thinking about him all too much lately and it was messing with her focus. Everything she did lately centered on him, even her dreams were beginning to focus on her fear of losing him. She needed to make something in order to find her purpose again.

"Ah! The one who looked ready to tear Elorin apart for hugging you?" Elihara asked. Then she recalled the way Rylee kept shooting him glances during their dance. There was a fiery white sparkle lighting the little dwarrowdam's deep grey eyes, and the realization hit her with force, "Oh, Rylee! I never thought I would see the day! You like him!"

"What do I do, Elihara?" Rylee raised her head to look at her friend in desperation. "What if he doesn't feel the same? We argued today, it was horrible, I was atrocious, and the things he said at dinner! He was flirting with an elleth and Daeron was flirting with me. I feel so guilty for allowing it. Kili must hate me."

"I heard about that," Elihara chuckled recalling some of the things the servers were saying about their Dwarven guests, young Kili in particular. At Rylee's dark glance she sobered, "Sorry, not funny."

"He was going to return my token," Rylee whispered her heart breaking. "I told him to keep it. He doesn't know what it means."

Elihara stopped in her tracks and looked at Rylee in shock, "You gave him a token of affection? You? You – started a First Age courting ritual? You gave him a token and he doesn't realize that he carries your heart with him?"

"Aye! I love him and we had an all out screaming match in the main courtyard with witnesses! I said the most horrible things! Then he tells everyone that he prefers Dwarrowdams with more facial hair. Elihara, you and I are the only bloody beardless Dwarrowdams in existence!" Rylee said in frustration looking up at her friend with pleading eyes, tears threatened to fall. "How do I know if he even cares for me at all? It could just be lust. Mahal knows I would give in! I would do anything for Kili, and I am nothing to him."

"I highly doubt you are nothing to him, Rylee," Elihara said softly, trying to soothe her friend. "He reacted badly to seeing you covered head to toe in Orc and Warg blood. From what Lindir told me, he seemed quite worried about you."

"Even if by some miracle he did still give a damn about me, what am I supposed to do?" Rylee said scathingly. She started to pace the length of the shop, back and forth as she told her friend all of her deepest worries. "I have already died three times, well, I guess four times and the odds of me dying again are high. I don't want to hurt him, what if I have to fall into another volcano, or get killed slaying this dragon? I cannot bear the thought of hurting him like that. I – I love him too much to hurt him."

Elihara stepped in front of Rylee stopping her in her tracks. Never in all the years she had known Rylee had she ever come close to crying and yet here she was, her eyes glittering with moisture, her voice hoarse from trying to contain her emotion and her hands visibly shaking. She grabbed the smaller woman's hands in her own and admonished her, "Rylee, death could come to any one of us at any time. You know this! He carries your Heart. He is your One! You deserve to at least try. Live fully, give yourself the chance to love!"

Live fully, the same words Eru told her. Live fully, could he really have meant to embrace love and this family she found? Could it be as simple as finding kinship and joy within her life? Rylee met her eye and sighed, more to think about, "I will think on it."

"That is all I ask of you." Elihara smiled serenely at the little woman with the sad reflective visage, her heart clenched upon seeing it. Rylee was not made to look sad. She was so beautiful with a bright smile and a twinkle in her eye. This sadness did nothing for her friend. "So tell me what you are working on, will you need me to do anything?"

The spark came back into Rylee's eye as she thought about the work she was inspired to do. She grabbed her sketchbook and her quill, she began feverishly drawing out her plans. Page after page she drew and wrote her calculations, requirements, and supplies. On a loose sheet she started making a list of things that she would need Elihara to make for her, scabbards, sheaths, a satchel for arrows, and an assortment of leather pieces. She wrote down the dimensions on the paper and told Elihara of the plans. While Rylee was a spectacular Weapons Smith, she could not sew, however Elihara could. She was an excellent leather worker and was brilliant at making scabbards, holsters, and anything that a weapon might require.

"This is a lot of work Rylee, you will be in here for days! I will be busy for days!" Elihara looked at the large amount of work she had to do. "Are you certain you can do this?"

"I have to Elihara, it was divine inspiration. I have not been struck like that since I was in Aman." Rylee looked at her in earnest, her eyes wide with need, "It has to be done and quickly, I don't know how soon Thorin wants to leave, it must be done before then."

There was a long moment of silence as the two women looked at each other. Finally Rylee continued, "You know how these things work, once I close the door-."

"You won't come out until it is complete." Elihara sighed looking at the little weapon smith, she took the sheet of plans that she would need for the leatherwork and turned toward the door. "Just promise you will come up to the loft for food upon occasion. If not for us, then for Kili."

Rylee sighed, it would not do to worry the Dwarf. If a little Orc blood could set him off, seeing her after several days of starvation would be awful indeed. "I will try."

"I will have this done as quickly as I can. I will leave them by the door of the loft for when you need them." Elihara said with a sigh, at least she said she would try. It was more than she got out of her little friend every other time.

"Thank you Elihara," Rylee smiled softly, almost sadly, "Tell Elorin I am sorry for invading his forge. I may be in here for a week, at least. And tell Rohinna as well, I do not want her to worry."

* * *

><p>May 29<p>

A full day had passed, evening was once again settling over the serene valley of Rivendell. Kili thought surely that was more than enough time to allow Rylee to calm down and be willing to talk to him. Darkness was falling quickly as he made his way through the training fields that ran along the edge of the river city. He was told that she had a house beyond the Armory, but Thorin informed him earlier in the day that she was in the Forge at the Armory, not at her home. The Armory was placed further away from the other houses due to the noise that would come from within the shop. He approached the doors of the Armory with the intention of knocking. From inside he could feel the heat of the fires, and the voice of Rylee, the one that made the hairs of his arms stand on end. "No point in knocking lad, she will neither hear you nor let you in."

Kili looked up at the large man sitting on the stoop of his house enjoying a draw on his pipe. The strike of a hammer on metal made Kili jump. As much as he knew different, it was hard for him to believe that it was Rylee that was working the metal in that shop. Kili looked at the heavy wooden doors and the light that glowed out of the cracks. "I need to talk to her."

"I am not even allowed in and it's my shop." Elorin said with a half smile. "You are Kili, are you not?"

"I am." Kili said with more than a little hesitation. Over the course of the day he was reminded by the others exactly how embarrassing his antics the day before were. The entire company shared their views on his behavior and gave him advice on how to fix it. He looked up at the massive weapon smith, still not sure if he liked this man, this oversized Elf that was so familiar with his One.

"Do you feel it?" Elorin said as another spark of current ran through them as Rylee spoke from within the smith shop.

"Aye, it is her magic. Her voice does that sometimes when she is speaking, usually when she is impassioned," Kili said as he listened to the flow of her voice come from within, making the hair on his arms rise. "Do you remember her doing this when you knew her before?"

"I too have heard the power in her voice, but never to this extent." Elorin told him an odd look over his face. "It is some sort of magic. A very powerful magic."

"Powerful, enchanting and beautiful, her magic is different than that of other dwarves," Kili said looking up at the Elf. He thought about Rylee, her magic by the fire during their journey and also during the battle with the dragon. He didn't know if the Elf knew what kind of magic that Rylee did and he was not certain he should share that information. If Rylee wanted him to know she would tell him herself. She was unique, "but then Rylee is not a normal dwarrowdam. I mean she is the Daughter of Mahal."

"It would make sense that the Daughter of Mahal would have some of his magic," Elorin nodded looking at the door, with appreciation. He looked at Kili and pointed to the cuff on the dark haired dwarf's wrist, "It also explains why her work is better than that of any Elf, Dwarf or Man that I have ever seen. Her work supersedes even my own, and I am from both bloodlines and have had ages to perfect it."

"It is very beautiful, she is very skilled," Kili could not stop the admiration from coloring his opinion or his voice. He caressed the token on his wrist, its weight was becoming familiar and the feel of it as he touched it was soothing. "She is the most remarkable female I have ever met."

"Aye, you will not find another like her." Elorin agreed quietly watching Kili carefully, "Do you know what that there token means?"

"What?" Kili asked looking up warily, meeting the dark eyes of the Elven-Dwarf, "What does it mean?"

"It means she put her past, present, and future into it. A Dwarrow in the First Age only ever makes one token," Elorin narrowed his eyes at Kili, trying to get the young Dwarf to understand what he was trying to convey. "It was almost unheard of for a Dwarrowdam to give a token, it happened so rarely. With that piece, she offered you everything."

"You mean she gave me-," Kili whispered hoarsely, looking down at the cuff, he remembered being ready to take it off and hand it back to her.

"Everything," Elorin growled angrily, "She gave you everything, and when you moved to take it off you told her she was nothing. That she means nothing to you."

"No, I didn't. That was not my intention," Kili protested, his heart was in his throat. He shook his head and looked back at the door and listened to her impassioned voice. His voice became little more than a hoarse whisper when he continued, "I didn't know."

"You are lucky that she is smart enough to realize that you don't know our customs," Elorin told him softly, the anger in his voice easing a little. "She told you to keep it because she has only one heart to give and she chose you. For your sake and for Rylee's you had better find a way to fix this."

"That is my intention," He swore adamantly, in his heart Kili knew that he had to find a way to win her back.

"Have a good night, Kili." Elorin said as he made his way into the house.

Kili stayed where he was, staring at the Armory door, watching the light of the fires flicker through the cracks in the heavy wooden doors. There was a brief moment before the Armorer's wife came out the door at a quick jog.

"Oh, good, you didn't leave." The dark haired elf maiden said as she stopped in front of him. "It will be a few more days before she is done, Kili. She figured a week at least."

"A week!" Kili said looking longingly at the door. Six more days, could he wait that long? He needed to apologize, he needed to tell her. He just needed her. The last day without seeing her was hard enough, to know that he had another six to go, it was too much.

"Aye," Elihara said with a smile. "She is eating this time. I think it is because of you, she is fond of you."

"What do you mean, this time?" Kili asked her, his heart stopped, thinking that Rylee might actually starve herself was appalling.

"I mean what I said Kili," Elihara said motioning him to sit with her on the porch swing. He obliged and sat beside her on the padded seat. "When she is under inspiration, like she is, she works herself to the edge of her life. She usually does not stop to eat or sleep, nothing. It is like she is possessed by the need to create. At least that is how she described it once. This time it was Divine Inspiration it is more than a need, it is a drive to create, almost obsessively. She will not come out until her work is done."

"But you say she is eating this time?" Kili asked her, as he looked back at the door and listened to the sound of metal hitting metal. Her electric voice echoed out the door, making the hair on his arms rise, she was humming and singing again, in that ancient language that had no words.

"I have been leaving food for her, and this time she takes it," Elihara smiled at him, her dark eyes sparkling in the light of the growing moon. "I think it has to do with you."

"Why do you say that?" Kili asked hope rising in his heart. Did Rylee say something about him to this Elven woman?

"She worries that she might hurt you, so she keeps you at a distance," Elihara's eyes were soft and sad, "She keeps everyone at a distance, even Elorin and I. She does not want to risk us getting hurt by her and she fears getting hurt in return and we are just friends. For Rylee to fall in love, she is so far out of her element that what you have with her, it scares her. I really should not be telling you these things, it should come from her."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kili asked her, his suspicions rising. He thought of everything his Uncle ever told him about the duplicity of elves.

"Because I love her, I want her to be happy," Elihara said rising from her seat on the swing. She took Kili's hands in her own long thin ones. "I hope you will wait for her."

"May I stay here?" Kili asked quietly, listening to the sounds coming from the Armory. It meant that she was in there and that she was working on something wonderful, that she was alive.

"Yes Kili, stay as long as you need to." Elihara said as she turned to go back into the house.

Kili stood and went to the door of the Armory. He could feel the heat emanating from within and heard her voice sing softly along with the pounding of the hammer against the metal she was working. It was like listening to the most haunting melody. He could hear the love, devotion, and passion in her voice. He sat on the ground, his back against the door, and listened to her work and thought about all the things he wanted from his relationship with Rylee.

What did he want? Was it just lust? Or did he want more? Did he want a life with her? He remembered lying in the grass under the stars holding her in his arms and riding on horseback with her towards a forest for hunting. He tried to imagine introducing her to his mother, and watching her wearing a wedding gown. He would build her a forge of her own where they could work side by side. He would build her a home with a great hearth fire and a massive room for her to take luxurious baths. He could see her heavy with child, his child. Their children crawling into their bed for comfort and Rylee teaching them to read and write, and when they were older they would train them to be warriors, together. He could see her with grey in her hair and fine lines around her eyes.

He tried to imagine his life without her, the cold nights doing paperwork and going to court meetings with his brother and his uncle. Administering the needs of their people and dealing with ambassadors and dignitaries that had no understanding of their culture or laws. Doing patrols and coming back to his chambers with a low fire on the hearth. The empty one night encounters that left him feeling more frustrated than fulfilled. Life would be exactly like it was in Ered Luin. The thought brought him only dread and despair.

Over the past five weeks she had secured a place within his heart that he was certain that no one else would ever fill. If he let her go, he would lose that part of his heart and the rest of it would darken from decay. He knew if it came to it, he could live without her. But did he want to?

* * *

><p>June 2<p>

He went there daily, often stopping after practice in the training field just so he could listen to what was happening within. Often Thorin and Fili would join him and they would discuss whatever matters came up. Worry often lingered on Thorin's face as he heard and felt the magic, some days it was too much for him and he had to stay away. Sometimes Elorin and Elihara would sit with him, they would talk about Rylee, Kili would tell of the adventures they had so far, and they would do the same. For hours they would talk and listen for a change within the Armory, but still she worked on and on. Days passed slowly.

Every one of them was worried sick for the little dwarrowdam who locked herself inside. Elihara promised Kili that she was still coming up only for food upon occasion, even then she didn't see her, she only knew because the food would disappear from the plate where she put it.

"That is good news," Gandalf said with a smile.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Thorin asked worriedly, this news bothered him. A person could not go so many days without proper nourishment. Mahal never told him that she was wont to starve herself when working her magic. Rylee told him that she would need a week in the forge, so it was no real surprise to him when Kili would report that she was still working, but to hear that she might not be eating. It was almost too much. He could feel the tension rise between both of his nephews as they watched him. He looked at Kili expectantly for an explanation.

"Elihara told me that Rylee doesn't usually eat when she is under the throes of inspiration." Kili told them softly. The Dwarf-Elven woman and her husband were favorites among the dwarves, as they were a bright lively couple that seemed a little out of place among the other more demure elves. "Rylee told her that she was struck with divine inspiration this time."

"Why would she eat this time and not any other?" Gloin asked.

Elihara and Kili looked at each other for a moment before Kili answered, "She has a reason."

Dwalin nudged Balin and looked at Kili with a smirk. Elihara looked at the Company around her, including Bilbo and Gandalf, "I think she has fifteen reasons. She doesn't want any of you to worry about her."

"Make that eighteen," Kili said meeting her eye as Elorin pressed his ear to the Armory door, a worried expression on his face. "You two worry about her too, and Rohinna checks in several times a day."

"She might be eating, but she does not sleep," Elorin said glumly, as he tried the door latch for the eighteenth time that day. "Her singing never ceases, the patrols have noticed, and Daeron is on my case about getting her out of there. He has threatened to cut the door off its hinges. Lord Elrond had to tell him that this is Rylee's normal behavior."

Kili fumed, he had seen the tall dark haired guard captain lingering around. They had not come to blows yet but if the elf made one move on Rylee, Kili was going to put an arrow through his head and prove to all elves exactly how well a dwarf could shoot a bow.

"My hair is going silver," Thorin growled as he stalked away, "All due to my bloody god-daughter."

The company followed but Kili stayed, leaning against the door, listening to her singing. Just like that night by the camp fire, he could feel every emotion in her song. He was entranced by it, often stirred to great passion and energy, sometimes soothed, and calmed. He was surprised by the amount of positive feelings and emotions she used. It was as though each time her voice called out in darkness, there was light that followed, multiplied ten times. Kili just wished he could see her, hold her, and be with her.

* * *

><p>June 5 - 6<p>

Seven days passed, and Rylee still worked on and on. Elrond and Gandalf came by in the late afternoon with a tall wizard with white hair in white robes. They stood by the door and the white wizard tried using an incantation. A responding crash hit the door and sparks of electricity flashed through the cracks in the heavy wood.

"Well that answers your question Lord Elrond," The White Wizard said with a hard face. "Not even my magic can counter hers. She is not ready to come out."

"If you cannot counter her magic, how do you intend to lift the spell that locks her mind?" Gandalf asked him incredulously. "Surely Saruman, you must know how to counter her magic, you put the spell there in the first place."

"It was a simple healing spell, her magic intuitively countered mine, I had no idea that this would be the result," Saruman said sagely, "Placing that invocation nearly leveled me. To remove it, I will need you and Lord Elrond to be present. It would be better if Lady Galadriel was here as well, but it will take another week for her to arrive and from what you have told me, this needs to be reversed immediately."

"So you did contact her then?" Lord Elrond looked at Saruman in askance.

"Yes, she will arrive in just under a week." Saruman nodded looking at the door.

"Good, she will have a greater understanding of Rylee's titles, and what they might mean for her in this Age, if anything." Gandalf said with a pleased smile.

"It will be best if we catch Rylee as soon as she is finished in the forge." Saruman said with an almost sad and weary look on his face, Gandalf looked at him in surprise. "Even with the three of us, her power is immense, it will be best if she is as weak as possible."

"Won't that hurt her?" Kili asked stepping protectively in front of the door. He looked up at him and stated, "To do a spell on her when she is weak, it will do her harm."

"Who are you?" Saruman said looking down his nose at Kili.

"Her suitor, I wear her token," Kili said angrily, his hand moving to the hilt of his sword.

"Rylee offered a token? You are the chosen of Aulë?" Saruman's eyebrows rose in surprise as he looked down at the cuff on Kili's wrist and then his eyes narrowed as he surveyed Kili. He was assessing Kili as though Rylee meant something to him. As if he was a family member making certain that his sister's suitor lived up to his standards. "Aulë may favor you, Master Dwarf, but I warn you, I will hurt you, if you do anything to harm Rylee Emitheral."

"Who are you to threaten me?" Kili growled angrily slowly pulling his sword from its sheath. Thorin stepped up to his side and pushed the sword back, shaking his head at Kili.

"She is like a sister to me." Saruman said indignantly, wondering why he was defending himself to a Dwarf, a very young Dwarf. He looked over at Thorin and recognized him as the Dwarf who assisted in the raising and discipline of Rylee. One of the few people Rylee actually listened to. "I was there at her birth, I watched her grow into a strong warrior, and learned with her at the side of Aulë."

"Kili, he tells the truth, he looks different as a Wizard, but this is Curumo," Thorin interjected, trying to calm his nephew, "Rylee adored him, and looked up to him."

"How do I know you do not wish to harm her?" Kili asked ignoring Thorin. He didn't care that this was a very powerful wizard, he only cared that Rylee was not to be harmed.

"You don't, you will have to trust me," Saruman looked down at the young Dwarf standing protectively in front of the massive wooden doors. Then at Thorin, it was more important that Rylee's god-father understand the importance of their task. Saruman was certain that Thorin would explain to his company and this young Kili. "I would not willingly seek to harm her, which is why I need help to remove the spell, while she is in her weakest state. With her permission, of course, I am hoping that with a willing and open mind the three of us will be able to undo the damage that was done."

A watch was set at the doors of the forge, in teams of three, one person up in the loft, and the other two at the main doors. Kili was on watch with Daeron and Elorin, every hour they would switch places in order to sway boredom. Elorin was just headed into the loft while Kili was stuck at the main doors with Daeron. Both of them shooting glares at each other and saying nothing.

"You are not good enough for her," Daeron finally said shooting a glare at Kili.

"What in Durin's name are you on about?" Kili growled back at him, "You know nothing about me."

"Since the moment your Company arrived, you have done nothing to help her," Daeron said in frustration. "You just sit around and wait for her to come out on her own. If she was mine, I would go in there after her."

"That just shows how ignorant you are of Rylee," Kili said rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"I thought as Dwarves you were supposed to protect your Dwarrowdams, treat them like treasure," came the returning taunt from Daeron, it was like he was purposely trying to push Kili's buttons. "Not one of you has even tried to force the door, not one of you has knocked on it. How do you know she is even in there?"

"I can hear her, I can feel her, that is her magic! Can you not feel it?" Kili hollered in astonishment, "It is her voice that sings for hours of the love, rage, hate, and passion that she feels. It is her voice and her power that makes the hair on my arms rise."

"There is no way that the power I feel is Rylee Emitheral," Daeron sneered back.

"Then you are the fool not I," Kili snapped back, leaning against the door, listening to Rylee's voice rise and fall as she sang.

"It has been Eight days since she went into that forge," Daeron growled at Kili, an odd glint firing in his eyes, "I would have thought that of all the Dwarves, you would be the one fighting to get inside and pull her out."

"You don't think that I haven't thought about doing just that?" Kili yelled turning on Daeron. He stood toe to toe with the tall Elf Captain, "You think that I have not wanted to break in and beg her and plead with her to forgive me? These past eight nights have been pure torture for me. I fear for her, I worry about her. I know that she is strong and brave, and I know that she would fight until her last breath for what she believed was right. It kills me that she is so far out of my reach, and yet she is just beyond this blasted wooden door!"

"Then what is stopping you!" Daeron yelled back, fists clenched, that odd spark still glittering in his eyes.

"She is! I respect her too much to break her boundaries," Kili growled softly, his voice menacing, "In this state, she cannot hear you, she cannot see you. It is all about the magic and the creation. What you hear in her voice, that is the embodiment of Rylee, that is her soul. Gandalf told us that to pull her out of this state, it would kill her. I cannot live without her. To lose her, it would kill me."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Daeron asked his voice was soft, but his eyes were still glittering oddly, and Kili wondered what the hell was wrong with the Elf.

"It means I love her, she is my One," Kili said softly, it was little more than a whisper. It was the first time he said the words out loud. He discovered his true feelings while running from the Wargs, but he had not confessed out loud what was in his heart. Not even to Fili. He just couldn't. To say the words made them real.

"Good," Daeron grinned and stepped back, settling his back against the outer wall of the Armory. Kili blinked and looked over at the Elf in confusion. "She was jealous and hurt when you were flirting with the harpist, Lerain, I simply offered her a counter measure. Emitheral is only a friend unlike Lerain. She, I intend to court."

"So you do not have interest in Rylee?" Kili asked for clarification, he wanted to make sure that he was not hearing things or having some odd sort of dream.

"That is what I said, Dwarf," Daeron chuckled softly, "My concern for her is as a friend. She made it abundantly clear that she cares for you. Even when she was absolutely livid and speaking that filth, she still said that she cared for you. I figured you must be in love with her or you would not have made yourself such a fool."

"I am often a fool where Rylee is concerned." Kili snorted in frustration looking at the Elf. He was relieved that he was not after Rylee. "So Lerain, eh? Did you even know her before that evening?"

"No, so I suppose I have you and Emitheral to thank for the odd introduction," Daeron smiled as he looked up at the clear night sky. "I am told that Rylee set up Elorin and Elihara, she seems to be a matchmaker."

"Not intentionally, I am sure," Kili said softly, still leaning against the door. He looked up suddenly, "Do you hear that?"

"I hear nothing," Daeron said and met Kili's eyes. In unison their eyes widened as they realized that there was no sound coming from within the forge. Their eyes turned toward the door and they waited in anticipation.

"Daeron!" Elorin yelled from within, "Go wake Elrond and the others. Kili, wake the Company! Have them meet me in the Healing Halls."

The great doors swung open and Elorin emerged carrying Rylee's tiny frame in his arms. He was so massive that she looked even smaller than normal, Kili's eyes widened in shock at seeing her. Elorin held her in a way that Kili could not see her face. He could not see anything that could tell him how she was, if she was all right or if she was not. All he could see was that she was covered head to toe in black grime, even her dark flame hair was blackened to look like charcoal. Elorin didn't even stop, he just walked swiftly towards the Healing Halls across the training fields. Kili just barely noticed Elihara burst through the door of the attached house and run for the trail that led to the forest in the corner of Imladris, he didn't know where she was going, but she was moving quickly. Kili and Daeron shared a glance and both of them ran towards the Last Homely House, splitting only when they came to the sleeping quarters.

"Thorin!" Kili cried as he rounded the corner, "Thorin!"

"What is it? Is she out?" Thorin asked sitting up in his bedroll and looking at his nephew, sleep was suddenly far away from him as the news started to sink in.

"We must go to the Healing Halls." Kili gasped as he caught his breath. Kili didn't even wait for the others, he just turned and ran back the way he came. By the time he arrived back at the Healing Halls, Elorin was pacing outside of one of the larger rooms, a worried expression on his face. He kept looking at the door, a lost expression on his face.

"I have never seen her in such bad shape Kili," Elorin's voice came out as a harsh wavering gasp. The massive man brought low by his dear friend's condition. "She was eating this time. I didn't understand how she could seem worse than before, until I saw what she created. Kili there are enough weapons to outfit your entire company and then some."

Kili moved to the door and Elorin put his hand on his shoulder stopping him in his tracks. "You cannot go in there."

"But, Rylee-," Kili protested reaching for the door, it was agony, he needed to see her.

"He cannot, but I can, move out of my way," A small dark haired Elf maiden swept past them and pushed the door open.

"Lerain wait!" Daeron called as he slowed to a stop and watched the little elleth disappear from sight. He turned back to the surprised faces of the others. "She likes Runyatari, Rylee Emitheral made a great impression on her and Lerain wanted to be here when she came out. I swear she just wants to help."

Kili only got a glimpse of Rylee beyond the door and he nearly collapsed from the sight of her. They had her stripped naked, bathing her with cloths as she lay unmoving on a cloth covered bench. Her grey eyes met his for half a second, white sparks flared for a moment as Kili reached for her. Elorin held him back and the door closed. His hand touched the door and he leaned his head against the cold wood as he whispered, "Rylee. My Rylee."

"Kili, what is happening?" Thorin asked as he and the rest of the company crowded into the long corridor of the Healing Halls. Kili could only shake his head, unable to speak past the lump that settled in his throat. If he lost her, he could not imagine the world without her.

Elorin told them the same thing he told Kili, that she was in an agonizing state and that she was being tended to by Elihara, Rohinna and Lerain, the harpist. There were others as well, healers of the realm. Kili didn't care who was attending her as long as they could help Rylee. Surely the wizards could not work their spell on her when she was so near death.

It felt like hours before the door finally opened and Rohinna barred the door. She motioned for Saruman to enter the room, and within moments the healers filed out, carrying wash baskets filled with black stained cloths, clothing, and towels. Elihara, Rohinna, and Lerain followed them and Elihara stopped in front of Kili and the Company. "We explained Saruman's plan, I tried to convince Rylee to wait until she was stronger but Rylee is adamant that they do the magic now while she is at her weakest."

"Why? Why would she endanger herself like this?" Kili demanded, his voice rising in anger. How the hell was he supposed to support her, be there for her and comfort her, if she kept throwing herself into danger?

"She doesn't feel she is in danger," Rohinna whispered softly, meeting the dark eyes of the Durin Prince. "Rylee believes that she has nothing left to lose. I told her you still wear the token, even now that you know what it means but she will not relent."

Lerain looked up at Kili with those beguiling dark eyes, "She says that if you love her, you will trust her judgment. She said she must do this, it is part of her quest."

With that the ladies left the Healing Halls and went to wait together elsewhere away from the men. The anger and rage that Kili felt at that moment burned through him at a surprising speed. It was like the cap of a mountain spewing forth into volcanic stone and ash. The pain in his heart only fueled it onwards. He created this, his thoughtless words, his mistrust, his jealousy. He hurt her beyond measure and drove her to this possibly destructive end. Kili was ready to burst when Fili and Thorin each latched onto an arm and bodily hauled him onto the training field.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Fili said holding his brother back, when Kili tried to go around him to go back inside the Healing Halls.

"You didn't see her, Fili, she looks a fright! I have gone to hell. I am living in a state of hell. I am thankful she is finally out of the Forge, but she looks so weak and so void of life," Kili gasped as though in pain, his heart beat wildly in his chest. He needed to see her, to hold her, "Fili I have to talk to her."

"You must let them do their work," Thorin said standing next to his nephew, he put his hand on his shoulder. "Rylee feels they can help and we must trust her judgment."

"She was so weak Thorin, she could barely even blink. The look in her beautiful eyes-," Kili said remembering her lying naked and unmoving on the healers table, "she is still so hurt and angry."

"So talk to her," Fili advised him gently, "After she has had a chance to rest, eat and bathe, have Elihara or Rohinna summon you when she is more herself-."

"I don't care if she is covered with Orcs blood, soot or silk, she will always be beautiful. I just want to see her again," Kili growled impatiently.

"Sounds like you are quite smitten with the lass," Thorin said looking at his youngest nephew, wondering if the lad had finally figured out what Rylee meant to him. "What are you planning to do about it?"

"If she survives this and she would have me, if you would allow it, I would marry her." Kili said, there was nothing he was more sure of. He had eight days of agony to think about what he wanted. He wanted her. "I want nothing of courting, or fancy parties, or a massive feast. She is my One. I want only her, if she will have me."

"Indeed?" Thorin arched a brow at Kili. It was one thing to claim her as his One, but he was talking about bypassing courting to planning for the wedding. It would be the same as eloping in a way. Dis would be hurt when she found out. "What would your mother say about this?"

"We are on a quest, Uncle, a dangerous one, I would rather spend one day in Rylee's company knowing she was mine, than a thousand without her." Kili vowed his dark eyes flashing with a bit of defiance and more than a little hunger. "Mother would understand, besides if Rylee will allow it we could have a formal ceremony later, once the quests are complete."

"If she will have you," Fili said, meeting Thorin's eyes behind Kili's back. Both of them noticed the hurt in her eyes when she looked at Kili at the party, neither of them were certain that she would forgive him.

"Aye, first you must make amends and win her. Then we will discuss marriage. Come we have training to get to," Thorin nodded in agreement. He told the Company to start their training, since everyone was already awake. Then he pulled Fili and Kili off to the side. "I have arranged a meeting with the White Council in a fortnight, and then we shall see how much longer we will be welcome in the halls of Rivendell. That should be plenty of time for Rylee to rest up and then we will be back on the trail."

Thorin and Fili didn't give him a chance to think anymore, they pulled him onto the training field and he gave in to the rage and allowed his body to fight through the emotions that were threatening to tear him apart.

* * *

><p>She was on the table, staring up at the ceiling of the Healing Halls, her friends and the healers worked to clean away the mess that covered her body. If she was a normal being of Middle-Earth, she would have been covered in blood, feces, urine, sweat and every other possible bodily fluid. But she was not like any other being. Her fire burned away the majority of the mess that would normally cover a body that has not had rest in over a week. She was blackened head to toe in soot and residue from the fire. He mouth tasted like she had dinner in the presence of a dragon, all she could taste was ash and brimstone.<p>

Her muscles refused to move, and she could barely open her eyes. There was only one point that she looked out toward the door. When Lerain walked in and Rylee caught a glimpse of Kili, the worry and fear on his face caught her heart. She saw him move toward the door only to be held back by Elorin, then the door closed and he was gone. That one look of raw emotion decided her. She would do everything she could to fix this but first she had to fix herself and that meant getting her memories back.

They worked over her for quite some time, cleaning away the soot and the filth as the healers chanted and fed her some light broth to help her stomach accept food again. They checked her over from head to toe, examining her eyes and ears to ensure that no damage had been done to her sight or hearing. The Master Healer checked her eyes and began to make a list of all of the nutrients she would need to regain her strength before handing the list to Rohinna. Rylee had never met these healers before, but they all seemed to know of her.

"Well Runyatari, I have done what I can to heal your inner body, but I have been given a direct order not to allow you to be given anything that will increase your strength or energy." The Master Healer did not look happy at these words, in fact if Rylee could bet, she would say that the Healer was very much at odds with this order. "Elihara is going to explain what it is that Saruman has planned, it is entirely up to you if you wish to proceed with this harebrained scheme of theirs. If you decide to go through with it, I will do what I can to get you back to good health."

Rylee was so tired, she had so little energy to do much more than whisper, "All right."

The Master Healer left the room from a side door, Rylee knew that she would be selecting the ingredients needed to create teas, poultices, and remedies for after whatever Saruman planned to happen. The others were back at her side, lifting her and dressing her into soft silk gowns, Rylee knew immediately that they were of Elven make, they would be neither fire proof or protective. They were merely to give Rylee some covering while Saruman was in the room.

While they dressed her Elihara spoke, "Saruman has arrived, he wants to try to remove the incantation he used when you were here for Scatha. He said that your power is too immense at full strength and to heal your mind he must do the counterspell when you are at your weakest."

"All right," Rylee whispered again, she wanted this over with. She was as weak as she was when she returned home at twenty three.

"Rylee, I advise against this, it could kill you," Elihara told her with a worried look in her eyes.

"Must be done," Rylee's voice rose in determination, she met her friend's eyes, "Only way."

"The dwarves don't trust me and they don't like me much but they do love you, they worry. For their sake please don't do this, there has to be another way." Rohinna argued softly.

"I have to," Rylee said looking up at the ceiling.

"But what about Kili, you cannot do this to him," Elihara protested loudly, "he still wears your token. Elorin told him what it means and Kili still wears it. He has been hovering at the door to the Armory for days on end waiting for you. You cannot do this to him."

Rylee didn't know where the strength came from but she growled low in her throat and snapped back at her friends, "I must do this for myself. I am missing a part of me. Part of my quest is to find what I am missing. I am missing my memories, I am not whole. Kili and I are already at odds, if he loves me like you say he does then he will trust that I know my strengths. He will know that I can do this. If he cannot do that, then I have nothing to lose! Do I? Tell Saruman he can enter, I need to talk to him before we do this spell."

Lerain approached the table and took her hand, "My Lady, I know you don't really know me, but I have read every story of you and to meet you in person is an honor. I am certain that you know better than any of us what your limits are and I wish you luck. I hope you find what you are missing."

Rylee smiled and squeezed the elleth's hand. "I have been much weaker than this. Saruman knows my limits, he will not let me die."

The healers and her friends quickly cleaned the room and headed out, Saruman entered during their exodus. "I would say that I am happy to see you my dear Rylee Emitheral, but this reminds me too much of the state of your return home after Oromë found you near Angband."

"I am stronger now than I was then, Curumo." Rylee smiled reaching for his hand, he took hers and squeezed gently.

"How did it come to this, Rylee?" Saruman looked down at her with dark worried eyes. "I used the same spell as I always have to heal you and it nearly leveled me."

"But that spell is meant for a pure soul Curumo," Rylee whispered furrowing her brow, she closed her eyes for a long moment, before looking into his black eyes. They reminded her of Jovina's they both had such dark, all seeing eyes. "I have not had a pure soul since my first quest."

"What?" Curumo squeezed her hand in frustration and Rylee whimpered. He loosened his grip immediately, "I am sorry Rylee. How, when, why did no one think to tell me this? Why didn't you tell me this?"

"I was bitten by Ungoliant near the end of my first life. Her venom has tainted my soul, I can feel the darkness now," Rylee sighed and met his eyes, confessing one of her darkest secrets, "it has been seven years and I can still feel her venom eating away at my soul."

"If I had known, I would have used a different spell," Saruman vowed.

"There are no other spells you could have done Saruman," Rylee smiled softly, "that was the only one that ever worked. Why did you do it? Why did you try to heal me?"

"I had to," Saruman gripped her hand, his stoic face fell into one filled with sadness, "I could not let you die. You are like a sister to me, I could not let you die in my arms and do nothing."

"Oh Curumo, I die at the end of every quest," Rylee's eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him, "It is how my body is reset for my next life."

"They never told me this. I was not supposed to be your guide for Scatha. Alatar and Pallando were supposed to be there, but they were held up in the Far East, negotiating with the Men. They have been trying for centuries to keep the men of the East from falling into Sauron's hands." Saruman told her softly in his own confession. "Radagast was too far south, dealing with the Ents and the Entwives. Gandalf was in the west. I was the only one close by so you were sent to me. If only I had known."

"Why were you not supposed to be my guide?" Rylee asked, she had not seen him for seven years, and she knew that it had been much longer for him.

"Aulë told me that the nature of your quests was unlike anything I had been trained for." Saruman spat in frustration, "He told me that we were too close, that should harm come to you, I would act rashly and do more harm than good. It is hard to admit that he was right. I failed you Lukhdel."

"You did not fail me Curumo," Rylee smiled gently squeezing his hand in hers. "You could not have known. I have never told anyone everything that happened with Ungoliant, no one wants to admit such a weakness as I now have. If anyone is to blame, it is I who should have told you. Now, you think you can remove the spell?"

"With you as weak as you are, there is a chance," Saruman smiled softly, Rylee always did have a way of cheering him up. "It will be a counter-spell, because you have already been reset the injury itself will remain healed but you will feel pain of it as though it just happened. It is an unfortunate side effect but with the pain should bring back the memories that were sealed with the spell."

"So why do you need me to be weak?" she closed her eyes, feeling herself fading into sleep, fighting to remain awake.

Saruman looked at her for a long moment before he made a decision. She was exhausted, he could see her fighting to remain awake. He waited for her to open her eyes before he told her, "Your magic has grown stronger since you left Aman. You nearly destroyed us both when I invoked the original spell, and you were almost dead. I am hoping that if you remain accepting and open to the counter-spell then your magic will accept it as well."

"Let's do this then, so I can sleep." Rylee said with a yawn.

"You trust me to do this then?" Saruman asked her with surprise, he was certain that she would tell him that she would not allow it. "You will let me invoke the counter-spell?"

"You are my brother Curumo, of all people, I trust you," Rylee whispered softly.

"Oh little sister, I will get you through this, but you must stay awake," Saruman chuckled. She protested but fixed her eyes to a point on the ceiling and forced herself to remain conscious.

There was a flurry of activity in the room around her as Elrond, Gandalf and Radagast filed into the room. Saruman looked at Radagast in surprise, wondering how the Brown Wizard had made it so quickly when Lady Galadriel would still be a few more days. He could not stop the disappointment from coloring his voice, "Radagast, you made it."

"I was in the area, I came as soon as I heard," his voice quiet and jovial as always, "Yavanna would not have it any other way."


	21. Patience

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Chapter 21

Patience

June 6

She stared at the ceiling trying to clear her mind of all thought and her body of all tension. This was part of her quest. It all started with this. Hearing Kili's angry and frustrated cries from the training field reminded her why she was allowing this, even if they were distracting, she was not going to have anyone tell him to stop. He had to get through this as much as she needed her memories back. It was the only way that they could both move forward and forge a life, whether it would be together or apart. The raw emotion she saw on his face gave her hope, even if it was only a sliver, it told her that she had a chance to win him back. She just needed to find what was missing first.

Elrond's voice was soothing as he chanted in Sindarin, a spell invoking the protection of the Valar as Rylee made her journey through her memories. Radagast's voice joined his, opening the portal between the past and the present so that she could see clearly. Gandalf's voice was next as he started to unwind the threads that held her memories in chains. Saruman's was last to join, layering the invocation, it was the counter-spell, the one that he warned her would cause Rylee pain and unlock the memories she was protecting.

She felt the ripple around her as the portal was created and she felt a magic that was both foreign and familiar. It repelled and comforted her in the same instance, it was both home and a strange place, and the duality of the portal confused her. After taking a moment to feel it, she remembered why it was so familiar. It was the doorway between Middle-Earth and Aman. She only used this particular portal twice before.

She looked up and saw Irmo, standing tall before her, he was the one Vala that she never studied under and was told that she was not ready for his lessons yet. "It is time, Lukhdel, it is time to learn of the Path of Dreams, it is time to open the doors between past, present, and future."

Rylee's body jerked on the table, the pain seared into her left shoulder through her bones and deep into her lung. She cried out in agony and tears rolled down her face. Her breathing grew heavier, and she felt as though she was drowning from the inside out, her heart was both racing and stuttering as her mind was flooded with the emotional memories of the six months it took to destroy Scatha.

_She remembered meeting with Curumo in the year two thousand, she was excited and happy to see him after so long. It was like being back in Mahal's mansion, learning side by side as they swapped tales of their lives in Middle-Earth. Curumo told her of the history of the Second Age as well as the beginning of the Third Age. He told her of Sauron's wars and the battle of The Last Alliance. She even knew about the deaths of many of her comrades in that very battle. _

_Gil-galad commanded the army leading them towards the Black Gates, an army comprised of thousands upon thousands of Men and Elves, Durin IV led his Dwarven warriors from Khazad-Dum under the banner of Gil-galad. Amdir and Oropher became impatient and annoyed at having to follow Gil-galad's lead, and struck out at their enemy without sanction of their commander, leading to their doom on the plains of Dagorlad. This came as no surprise to Rylee, Oropher held no love for Gil-galad, or vise versa, both still bitterly disagreed on Oropher's manipulation of Rylee. Amdir though a bright, strong warrior and a great leader, he was impatient and idealistic, and came to his end with his army in the Dead Marshes. _

_When Oropher and his army fell, Thranduil was left to join the remainder of his people with Gil-galad's company. It was later after reaching Moria, that his wife and mother died. While Rylee remembered Thranduil's mother Nialiwen, and paid her respects for her, Saruman could not tell Rylee the name of Thranduil's wife. When Thranduil returned to the Greenwood, he could not bear to leave the forest, and never turned to look southward again. He cared only for his son and his own realm, deftly shutting out the rest of the world. Rylee momentarily felt pity for the Elf, understanding the devastation of losing everyone in battle. _

_Her knowledge of history was restored to her, leaving her with questions about what happened in the world since she left. She knew that Galadriel and Celeborn had a daughter and that Elrond married her, the fair Celebrian, and they had three children. She never met Celebrian, or the children, and it bothered Rylee that Elrond didn't mention them or introduce them when they were at dinner. She did notice the dark shadows in his eyes, and she wondered what had befallen them. Rylee could only assume the very worst, but she would not ask, she would let him tell her when he was ready._

_She remembered journeying north towards the Grey Mountains with Saruman and coming across an interesting little fellow in the foothills between the mountain ranges and the Northern Greenwood forest. He was hiding from a pair of cave trolls in the dead of night, the trolls could smell him and hear him taunting them, but they could not see him. Going against Saruman's advice, Rylee went in and helped the little odd creature to destroy the Trolls. _

_He was much like a man but much shorter, with overlarge, hair covered feet and slightly pointed ears. He was shorter even than Rylee, which surprised her. Usually only Dwarfs and Dwarrowdams were her height or shorter than she was. He had black hair and bright blue eyes, which sparkled with curiosity and adventure. He called himself Norwend Took and he told her that he and his many times great grandfather lived in a Hobbit hole nearby._

_With a name like Took, Rylee was certain that his Great Grandfather could only be one person. Fleet Took. She was correct. Norwend invited Rylee and Saruman to his home in the hills, and when they arrived, Rylee was given a very happy surprise. An Elf from Doriath. After the War of Wrath Fleet Took followed Galadriel to Lindon, then under the Flag of Gil-galad was involved in the War of the Last Alliance. After the war, he journeyed North through the Anduin Valley towards the Grey Mountains. _

_It was in Gladden Fields that he found a village of small people who dwelled underground in Smials. They called themselves Hobbits. There were three distinct clans within the valley, the Harfoots, the Stoors and the Falohides, with the Stoors being the most predominant of the families. Hobbits were a private people who stayed away from their larger human cousins, preferring the peace and privacy of their small way of life. Fleet, being oddly short for an Elf was welcomed by the people with open arms. He stayed with these little people for several months before meeting and falling in love with one of the tiny Halflings, Miribel Falohide. Fleet and Miribel raised four children, and lived fully and happily until his beautiful bride passed away at the ancient age of one hundred twenty three (twelvety three in Hobbit terms). After her passing, Fleet stayed with his family, unwilling to part from his children or grand children._

_When Rylee arrived Fleet and his many times great grandson were of the few of the remaining Hobbits that lived in the area. There was a large handful of Stoors that refused to leave their homes and journey West to join their kin, in a place called the Shire. Norwend was quite young, only thirty one at the time of her arrival, yet like his Great Grandfather, he had the spirit of adventure. During their stay, Rylee learned a great deal about Hobbits from the young Took and he taught her to play Hobbit games like Rocks and Riddles._

_Fleet knew that the adventure that Rylee was on would be too much of an adventure for his grandson, so he sent him forth to find the road to the Shire. Months passed without word from the young Hobbit, but during that time Rylee and Fleet were successful in finding the dragon pair's whereabouts and the warrior that was to help kill them. Five and a half months passed and finally Fleet received a happy missive from Elihara that Norwend had safely reached Rivendell and the Hobbit was quite taken with her daughter. They were soon to be married. _

_Days later, Rylee, Fleet, and Fram approached the mountain. Saruman was left in the encampment of Fram's men, she told him that it was likely that she would not come back and with their history she didn't want him to see her should she fall. Saruman did not like that Rylee was so accepting of this fate and followed silently behind them._

_"Unravel the ties of Silver and Gold. Gold will fall and Silver will scatter." This was her quest. It was just like her dream, they entered the mountain together, the three of them. Once inside, Rylee lit her fire while Fram moved up the right side, and Fleet moved to the left to be closer to the dragons and flank them so they could be subdued and destroyed. Nothing could prepare the trio for what was about to happen. Rylee subdued the Golden dragon with her fire whip, and Fram moved to attack, but little did they know that Scatha had planted a very dark thought into Fleet's mind. _

_Fleet was suddenly seeing Rylee as a Ringwraith, one of the undead kings of Men, who he remembered seeing during the War of the Last Alliance. Deep dark memories burned through the Elf's mind, eating away at his normally clear thoughts and it was not long before he completely succumbed to the sway of the dragon. He pulled Rylee's long dagger and drove it down through her left shoulder and into her lung. It was at very moment that Fram drove his long sword up into the soft jaw of the golden dragon, impaling Scatha's brain. _

_Fram ran to go after Esgaud, but the beast was too swift in his flight, he was unable to track him and came back into the cavern hold. Seeing Rylee on the ground he ran to get Saruman to help save Rylee. When the spell fell away, Fleet looked upon Rylee with horror and with shame, knowing that he was the reason for her demise. As Rylee lay drowning in her own blood, Fleet took her hand and whispered, "I have betrayed you, Emitheral. You were ever my fondest friend. I have dishonored myself, and dishonored you. Please forgive me."_

_"There is nothing to forgive, my dear friend, I saw my end days ago," Rylee looked into his deep blue eyes and whispered, "Eru Ilúvatar, please bless my friend Fleet Took, he deserves better than to be defiled by dragons."_

_"Only you would bless me after such betrayal, Emitheral," Fleet whispered softly, he pulled the dagger out of her shoulder, and plunged it into his own heart, unable to bear the shame of his actions. Rylee's tears fell as blood filled her lungs and she watched the life slip from her friend's beautiful eyes and his body fell across hers. Fram moved Fleet's body to the side and pulled the dagger from his chest. He placed it in Rylee's hand, clutching both the dagger and her hand together until Saruman arrived._

_Saruman, seeing her on the ground pushed Fram aside in his attempt to get to her, "No, dear child you cannot come to such an end. It is not right."_

_"My dear Curumo, do not fret, I will see you again, this is my purpose and I accept what I am." Rylee whispered in return, raising her hand to touch his face. "As long as there are dragons, I will return." _

_She began to slip away and Saruman, using a spell that he often incanted to heal her as a child, attempted to save her life. The darkness swelled against the bright light of the spell, threatening to tear her apart. In an effort to protect herself, Rylee's own magic flared against both the powers of light and dark. Knowing that her quest was complete, she knew it was time to die, she had untwined the dragons, and while Scatha fell, Esgaud fled. It was as her portend foretold. It was her end and not wanting to be saved, she allowed her magic to push back against that of both Saruman and Ungoliant. With the blood in her lungs she could not speak, so Saruman had no idea that Rylee was counteracting his spell until it was too late. The wounds on her body were healed, but the damage was done to her mind. The events of her most recent quest were locked up tight and her last memory was of falling from the back of Ancalagon._

With the last vestiges of her mental blockades wiped away, Rylee's tears flowed. She mourned the loss of her dear friend and the pain that his own forced betrayal had on him. She hoped that he found peace in Valinor, she hoped that Eru heard her prayer and accepted him. Of all people that Rylee knew, Fleet was deserving of a good and happy life. He deserved peace within the Timeless Halls.

Gandalf looked down at his friend and watched as the tears spilled from under her dark lashes. The spell worked, Rylee's magic only put up a minor resistance, mostly because she was so physically, emotionally, and spiritually weakened after spending an entire week in the Forge. He could see that the walls that were built around her memories were broken down. One by one they let their words fall away, releasing the spell that bound her. Gandalf's spell finished first, there were no more strings left to untwine, her memories were once again open. Holding those threads, he saw that life as she did and he too shed tears at the heartbreak that was within. Elrond spoke several simple strengthening spells. Her body was healed and she looked much better and healthier that she did when she arrived in Rivendell. The shadow that darkened her spirit was much lighter than it once was. He finally let his voice fade away.

Radagast tried to close the portal between past and present, but when he did the portal burst open and both Radagast and Saruman cried out in surprise. Their spells caught in their throats and they were silenced. Before them stepped Irmo, Vala of Dreams and Visions. "By the light of Ilúvatar and Manwë, I must speak to Rylee alone. Please, leave us, friends of the Child of the Valar."

All four looked upon Rylee's form, sleeping peacefully, in a pale green gown that skimmed her body. Saruman leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead, not wanting to leave Rylee but knowing that he had no choice. His lips quirked into a smile as the other three did the same on their way to the door.

Gandalf was the last to leave and he looked back at Irmo as the Valar stood at the head of her bed and placed his hand on her forehead, his thumb and forefinger touching the very spot that each one of them placed a kiss. He bowed to the Valar and closed the massive wooden door. When he turned, he was faced with a Company of Thirteen Dwarves. One hobbit and five Elves stood just beyond them, waiting for news of their friend. Nineteen very worried faces looked at them in question.

"Well?" Thorin asked softly, his baritone voice rumbling in his chest, "will she make it?"

"Yes Thorin, she is fine, she needs rest," Gandalf said softly. He was uncertain whether or not to tell Thorin that the Vala Irmo was in with her at that moment.

Saruman took that choice away with his next words, "Irmo, the Vala of Dreams and Visions is in with her now. He was given leave by Ilúvatar and Manwë to enter our portal from Lorien."

"Then we must wait for Rylee to come to us," Thorin said softly. The Vala of Dreams, Desires, and Visions was the one being that might help her to ease the troubles of her night terrors. He was also the one who opened up the Path of Dreams so that Thorin could visit Rylee as she grew. Thorin knew that this path was closed to Rylee, since she was neither Man nor Elf. Like Dwarves, this path had to be opened by the Vala, for her to use. "If I recall, he was the one Vala that she did not train with while in Aman. Perhaps it is time for his lesson."

"Well we should move from here," Gandalf advised them, indicating them to all move on. "We should leave Rylee to the capable hands of the Valar. Should she need us we will be near."

The company moved back outside. They already put in hours of training in the training fields and there was little left for them to do, they were all restless and worried about their War Maiden. It was decided that they should wander down into the valley and do some fishing and swimming in the main river outlet there. Fili looked back inside and at his brother, Kili was leaning against the wall opposite the door. "You coming, Kili?"

Kili only stared mournfully at the door, he cared only that Rylee was in there, he wanted only to be with her. "No, you go ahead. I want to be here when she comes out."

"Kili," Elorin addressed him directly, and Kili met his gaze. "She usually sleeps for the full day after being in the forge for a week. There is no reason for you to remain here while she slumbers. Rohinna and Elihara will send for you when she is awake. Or if you like you can help me in the forge since it is so close by."

* * *

><p>"Now that you have your memories, do you understand what you have seen?" Irmo asked her quietly.<p>

"I have learned that while I fulfilled my quests, none are truly successful, there is still loss." Rylee whispered hoarsely. He had woken her from her sleep, after having her memories returned she had passed out due to exhaustion, but he woke her again, "I knew that I would die by Fleet's hand, but I did not know that he would take his life in agony of it. If I had the star would it have changed the path? Is there a way to go back and change it all?"

"You have already rewritten the past, Rylee, would you like to see what you have accomplished?" Irmo asked her, his voice was always modulated, it was always a low soothing whisper. "This is what would have happened if we had not sent you on your quests."

He touched her forehead again and she saw the world, she saw it as Ilúvatar created it to be, beautiful, peaceful, wondrous. Then he invited the Valar, and from the first days Melkor's jealousy began to corrupt it. During Ainulindalë, Melkor's music created darkness within the ideal peace. The difference in the timeline was made clear with the coming of Glaurung. Turin fell victim to Glaurung's spell and the warrior was killed at Cabed-en-Aras. When Thingol died at the hands of the Dwarves of Nogrod, Melian fled withdrawing her protective girdle. Soon after, Gaurung struck Doriath and the woodland realm fell, with all of her inhabitants. Rylee saw the deaths of most of her friends, Fleet, Jovina, Galadriel, and Durin. All of them gone along with Oropher and Thranduil. The Dragon in Gondolin was the same, Elorin, Tuor, and his son Eärendil fell to the Dragons and Balrogs. With Earendil dead there was no hero to kill Ancalagon. With no one to summon the Valar, Morgoth and his minions reigned terror on Middle-Earth, the losses were catastrophic. Scatha, Esgaud, and Smaug were nothing in the scheme of what Ancalagon would have wrought. Rylee was horrified by the slightest possibility of such a fate on Middle-Earth.

"How is it possible that my creation would change Arda that much?" Rylee asked feeling quite skeptical of what she had seen. "I am just a girl, just a War Maiden of the Valar. I have no great power and I never confronted Morgoth directly."

"We saw what was to come and created you to help the heroes fight the monsters that Morgoth released upon Middle-Earth. Your birth so inspired Varda that she created stars of the Valacirca. The Sickle of the Valar was a gift for you Rylee and a warning to Morgoth of his eventual downfall." Irmo told her showing her the difference of the world after her creation. It was like seeing two different dimensions of the same world but with different scenarios played out. "When you ran away and created an argument between the Valar, we realized that our unity against Morgoth was breakable, you showed us our weakness."

"The Valar have no weaknesses," Rylee whispered softly, blinking away her tears. She didn't want to think of her infraction, she felt she was still learning from it and still needed to make amends.

"But we do Rylee. If we were faultless, we would never have released Morgoth from the Halls of Mandos," Irmo paused and looked down at her with an expression she had never before seen on his face. It was one she could not describe. "Since then we have found that you are our greatest weakness and you are our greatest strength. We realized that if we lost you to the darkness it would tear us apart. This is the reason why Ilúvatar left you under the care of Aulë. It was not because we abandoned you or because we did not care. It was because we needed to reflect on the effect that you, your very existence, has over us. There has never been a Child of the Valar before."

Rylee looked at him through the corners of her eyes, her eyebrow quirked up, thinking that surely he was jesting. "Surely you are joking."

"No, Lukhdel," his voice was still gentle, and yet he had a small smile as he looked at her, "Come with me on the Path of Dreams. Manwë will explain it to you."

He offered her his hand and she rose from the table, the soft green cloth swirling around her. With her hand in his they journeyed to the Island of Aman. They took a path of silver stone, through flowering trees of starlight and gold and emerged into the Gardens of Lórien. The grass grew in thick green swaths of rolling lawns with deep green hedges cut into natural arbors and arches. Flowers and vines grew up through the hedges and into the arches, making everything seem more and more vivid and intense. Immediately Rylee felt the stress of Middle-Earth fall away and her entire being felt like it was being embraced by the warmth of family.

Mahal and Manwë stood together in the garden in the midst of a deep discussion, Irmo cleared his throat and Mahal looked up and met Rylee's eyes. She was changed from the child who left this realm through the Tapestries of Time woven by Vairë. Gone was the stubborn girl who demanded to be allowed to leave. Gone was the girl who took the words of Ilúvatar to heart and built a wall between herself and her entire family. She looked tired, lost, and somewhat broken. Mahal was certain that he was right. Kili was the only one who could help her find her light. He took three great strides as Rylee ran to him and launched herself into his awaiting arms. "Lukhdel, my little light, I have missed you."

"And I you, Mahal, I miss you so," Rylee sobbed into his neck hugging her father tightly. He held her tight in his arms and she relished the moment of being in the presence of her maker. It seemed too soon when he set her back on her feet. Rylee wiped her happy tears from her face and sniffled.

"Rylee Emitheral," Manwë said softly and Rylee stepped forward to meet him. She kept her eyes on the ground, terrified to look up into the honest eyes of Manwë. He was always able to look into her heart and see her secrets. She took a deep breath and raised her eyes to his face, his hair was silvery white, so bright it sparkled like mithril and diamonds, his eyes were the deepest sapphire blue. As she feared, they drilled into her soul and she could see him furrow his brow as he saw the darkness within her. She couldn't stop the small sob that caught in her throat as she thought of her failures.

"It is not failure my child to be changed by the world in which you live. You have overcome great odds and have had many trials. If you truly want to find your way out of darkness, you need to find your light," Manwë told her as he held out his hand towards her and indicated that she was to move forth. She took his hand and together they walked through the garden. He did not speak for a long time and Rylee was uncertain if she should say something to him. "Do you remember what I told you of your creation in the flames of Aulë's forge?"

"You said that I was created out of clay, filled with the essence of six of the Valar," Rylee whispered softly. "Varda gave me starlight, so that my soul would be strong against the darkness. Nienna gave me compassion, so that I could see the world with grace and love. Yavanna gave me the love of the Earth and all that grows so that I would understand the value of life."

Rylee paused for a long moment and looked up at Manwë. He nodded and commanded, "Please continue Rylee Emitheral."

"Oromë gifted me with a hunter's instincts, so that I would be able to find the foe that I seek. Tulkas empowered me with strength, so that I could meet my enemies with a strong body and a steadfast mind." Rylee looked up at Manwë, filled with curiosity. She wondered why she was repeating these old teachings, "And Mahal gave me the gift of creativity, so that I would be able to make the weapons I needed to take down my foes."

"Correct," Manwë smiled at her in pride, "We arranged for you to have very specific powers, then your vessel was placed into the fire and you were born. You were meant to be truly mortal, much like the Dwarves of Middle-Earth, but Ilúvatar saw a different path. He allowed your essence to be filled with magic and the power we placed within you changed. Only Ilúvatar knew what form your magic would take and he feels that your powers must be learned by you over time. This is why we could not help you when we discovered your powers."

Rylee was thrown by this knowledge, she felt completely bewildered. "So I was to have a different magic and I changed it?"

"Yes, you were to be able to purify the souls of others and to heal, much like the powers of the elves." Manwë told her with a small smirk, "We think that the gifts you were given by the Valar and the fire of the forge amplified the original gifts you were given, and changed them into something entirely new. You have the ability of fire which you alone can wield. There are three types of fire that you can use; the fire of creation and destruction, the red flame, the blue flame of clarity and the white flame of purification."

"You said gifts Manwë, the fire that is within me, that is one gift. Like a tree with three branches," Rylee said in confusion. She looked up at him, "The other gift, is it the Aglâbu Azrâdu'damâm?"

"Blood Magic Language? It is a fitting name for it, since it is tied to your blood and your fire." Manwë nodded in agreement, "You are the only person who can use it Lukhdel, and because of this we have called it the language of light. Only Ilúvatar knows of the potential that lies within the language."

"So there is more that I must learn? Can you teach me?" Rylee asked in confusion, the Valar knew very little about her flame when she first showed them how to use it.

"No Lukhdel, we cannot teach you, we already told you this," Manwë smiled at her, they stood at the edge of the garden looking north towards the Isle of Estë.

"Yes, I was told to find Jovina. That she could help me, but she vanished in Gondolin. I saw her vanish in the flames of a dragon. I have been trying to use what she taught me, to learn more about my powers." Rylee countered and looked up at him she was trying to figure out the puzzle that was her magic. "Jovina said that she didn't understand why or how my powers worked, but I have been cleansing daily for weeks and the more I use it the better I understand the bond. This is the magic that comes from my soul and ties the blood and fire together isn't it?"

"Always so astute," Manwë said soberly. "I must warn you though, now that your soul has been tainted by darkness, you must be very careful not to allow it to consume you. If someone like Sauron or one of his minions were to capture you, this darkness could spread into your soul and if it does, they would be able to use you as a weapon."

"Never," Rylee whispered in fear. She met his eyes and she shook her head in denial. She never wanted to fall like Sauron. "How do I find my light Manwë? How do I purge the darkness from my soul?"

He turned to her and smiled sadly, "Now that the taint is there, you will never be completely free from the darkness Rylee. First you must find your light, and second you must regain the Star of Ilúvatar."

Rylee sighed and thought about Thranduil, she now knew that he lived in Mirkwood to the East, they would be traveling right past him. There was so much that still needed to be done, first she needed to know why Irmo brought her to Manwë. She furrowed her brow, "So why did Irmo call me the Child of the Valar? I thought I was the Daughter of Aulë"

"We each gave something to you, whether it was during your creation or during your training, you became a part of us. When Ilúvatar breathed life into you, he filled you with the essence of the Valar, yet he made you mortal so that you could be tied to the Tapestries of Time and your body reset as needed at the beginning of each quest. This is why you are the Child of the Valar." Manwë informed her, his face was emotionless, "You are the child of all of us, Lukhdel, not just of Mahal. When you ran away you hurt all of us, not just Yavanna and Nienna."

"I know, I am truly sorry Manwë," Rylee said softly, tears welled in her eyes and a lump formed in her throat. She tried and failed to contain her emotions and the tears began to fall. "What I did was wrong, I understand that my actions could have destroyed the Tapestries of Time and it was by mere chance that I did not break the world. I saw myself fall while I was on top of Ancalagon, it was by pure luck that my younger self did not notice my older self. Not only did I hurt myself, but I hurt everyone I love. I am trying to be better, to prove myself and not mess up. Can you forgive me?"

"I forgave you long ago Rylee Emitheral," Manwë smiled and took her hands in his own. She looked him in the eyes, those eyes that could penetrate directly to her soul. "The question is; can you forgive yourself?"

"I – I don't know," Rylee said as she tried to stop her tears from falling, "What I did was so stupid, I was so naïve and so stubborn. I took out my anger at myself on you and the rest of the Valar. I was horrible to Thorin, and he was always there to support me, guide me, and teach me. I made your lives miserable for years. What I did was so very wrong!"

"You were a child, Lukhdel. A strong willed child. We knew you would be, your fierce nature has always been known to us," Manwë soothed her as he led her back through the garden. "Irmo is going to tell you how the Path of Dreams works now so that while you sleep you can come home and visit us more often."

"But what about the visions, the portents?" Rylee asked softly, "Don't I need the visions to see my path?"

"Irmo will explain how it works, do not fret," Manwë smiled. They entered the clearing, back where Irmo and Mahal waited for them. Manwë pulled Rylee into a gentle hug and kissed the top of her head, "Take care of yourself, Lukhdel, you are right to think that this is your final quest. After this you will live of your own free will. So live it well."

"I will, I promise," Rylee vowed hugging him back. He nodded once, stepped back and then he was gone. Rylee figured that he had returned to his high mountain home in the North-East of Valinor.

"I must go too, Lukhdel," Mahal said as he lifted her into a bear-hug. "Come visit soon."

"I will, I promise." Rylee whispered in his ear, hugging him fiercely in return. He placed her back on the ground. "I love you, Adad."

"Thorin is Adad," He put his finger under her chin, and made her look him in the eye. "We have been over this. He is as much your father as I am Rylee, you need to treat him as such. You know very well that he is not just your Ugshar. He has not heard you call him Adad since you came back from Angband."

"But he said-," Rylee protested only to have Mahal's finger pressed to her lips.

"I know what he said," Mahal said sternly, his face brooked no arguments and Rylee sighed in frustration. "He was wrong, and he knows it, he just doesn't know how to say it. I also know that he tried and failed to follow Ilúvatar's order to keep his distance. Thorin didn't know that the order was not meant for him, he feels guilty enough over all that happened. He does not need you to hold a grudge."

"Fine," Rylee growled lowly. "I have been trying you know. We don't fight near as often as we used to."

"I know, I am proud of you," he grinned and put his hand on her head. "I have to go now. I love you, Lukhdel."

"I love you too," Rylee whispered softly, "Mahal."

"Good girl," He said with his smile still in place, "See you soon. Oh and Rylee, go easy on Kili, he means well he has just never met anyone like you before."

"Okay." She smiled sadly back at him and watched him walk out of the garden. She turned to Irmo who was waiting patiently by the Path of Dreams.

"Ready Rylee?" He asked her as he held his hand out for her.

Rylee merely nodded her response, unable to talk past the lump in her throat. Coming to Aman was bittersweet. She took his hand and he led her back down the path and back into her room within the Healing Halls.

"The portal will be open to you within your dreams, you just have to envision it as you close your eyes to go to sleep. Your body will remain in your bed, while your essence will travel over the Path of Dreams. You will be capable of traveling at the speed of thought while in the dream world, but we will still be able to see you and touch you." Irmo informed her. Rylee looked at the portal before her and held her hand out to touch it. It was solid under her hand, but as she pulled away it flickered and became less visible. "If you do not envision the portal, then you will have your portent dreams, they should be clearer now, but no less vivid."

"Right, to come to visit, I imagine the gate. Is there anything else I should know?" she looked at him with her eyes wide.

"When your wound was recanted and the portal was opened, I was able to make the connection through your dreams. Doing this has a consequence; you will be able to use a form of telepathy to contact others." Irmo told her, and smiled as her eyes widened even more in surprise, "I must warn you however, it will drain all of your energy and send you into a deep sleep. So never use it during battle, or when you are in danger. If you do use it, make sure you are somewhere safe and where you can sleep for a long period of time."

"All right," she nodded in understanding and climbed back onto the table. "Thank you Irmo, for everything."

"You are very welcome," He smiled back at her and walked through the portal. Rylee lay back on the table and closed her eyes, falling into a deep sleep. A sleep haunted by the most terrifying images of darkness consuming her soul. Of the shadows eating away at her and being unable to fight it. She needed her light and there was no light in her life. No joy or laughter. It was always only fighting and death.

* * *

><p>June 7<p>

Kili was in the Company's quarters when Rohinna sent word that Rylee was awake and back in residence at the House of Aulë. It was not until late the following afternoon that they received word that she was released from the Healing Halls, much to the chagrin of the Master Healer. According to Elorin the healers wanted to keep her there longer and Rylee dared them to try. After a very short struggle, Rylee walked out with the disheveled healers standing in her wake.

Thorin chuckled at the news and when Balin asked why he just said, "Oh nothing really, Rylee just can't stand bed rest. She doesn't know how to sit still, you saw how antsy she got when she injured her feet, and she had Kili to keep her busy."

"Well Kili, are you going or not?" Elorin asked with keen interest. The tall Dwarf-Elf was spending more and more of his free time in the company of the Dwarves, that afternoon he came in carrying a keg of ale along on his massive shoulder. "I want to know what she says so we know what to say when we drink it. Either we toast in celebration, or we drown our sorrows, either way this keg is in honor of you lad."

"I am leaving now," Kili said as he rose from the bench that he claimed for his bed for the duration of their stay. Kili was already cleaned up to the best he could be, as soon as they were done with weapons training that morning he had found his way to the public bath house to make sure that he was presentable for Rylee.

He tried not to run the entire way there, and the closer he got the slower his footsteps became. After nine days of rehearsing what he wanted to say, his mind went completely blank. His mouth went dry, his heart pounded in his ears and he began to sweat. He trudged past the market and shops toward the larger Smiths and finally past the Armory and training field. He looked at the road that led to her house and felt as though he was walking to his death. He was absolutely terrified.

The courting bead he held in his fingers suddenly felt so heavy and yet so completely insignificant. He wanted more than just to court her, but it was the first step towards claiming her in the eyes of the world. The path wound through the forest and he was amazed at the flowers, shrubs and bushes that grew wildly in the gardens. The scents of honeysuckle, lilacs and roses filled the air. Clover grew in patches and Kili noticed Mikhaul grazing happily nearby, her beard was hanging in loose waves from her black chin, her main and tail also hung in thick loose waves. She nickered happily in hello and told Kili that Rylee was at the swing by the waterfall.

"Rylee," He said as he stepped up beside her, she barely stopped the movement of the swing, all but ignoring him standing there. She was wearing a thin white tunic and a lush blue robe over top, her feet were bare. She looked as though she was ready for bed, not walking in a garden. Seeing her bare toes made him remember the night she gave him her token. The thought made him remember holding her against him, which led to imagining her naked and the thought of her naked made him think of her in bed. And thinking of her in her bed was, ah Mahal, he wanted her.

"What is it Kili?" Rylee asked him, her face was a frown, she didn't even look up.

"Rylee, please look at me," He pleaded with her. All the progress he made with her on the trail was wiped away by a few stupid mistakes. She stopped the swing and stood before him, her arms crossed defensively in front of her chest. Her eyes met his with a bright gleam of defiance.

"Start talking Kili, because I am about to physically throw you out if you don't say something good and meaningful," She stared at him stone faced. As always just looking at him set her heart to racing and her blood rushing, it took everything within her not to breakdown and rush into his arms.

"I am sorry, Rylee. I should never have yelled at you like that. You are a seasoned warrior and I had no right to second guess you." The angry spark in her eyes made him lose his words and all he could do was stare down at her. She waited glaring up at him, emotions flickering across her face, and the one that kept coming back was the hurt. The hurt that he caused. "I want and need to be with you. I have been denying it for weeks, and then I wanted to tell you at the Troll camp but I just, I just keep messing it all up. I know you don't need me to protect you but I just needed to know you were alright. When I saw you covered in that blood I only wanted to make sure you were okay, but it kept coming out all wrong. Rylee the last thing I want is to give you more pain."

"What are you saying Kili," Rylee said her voice soft, he looked like he was truly anguished and she wanted to make it go away. Her hand itched to touch his face and clear away the pain she saw there.

"You are this beautiful dream that just fell into my lap, as though Mahal himself chose you for me and me for you. I used to dream of the chance of meeting my One and I swear Rylee, when I saw you I just knew. You have been driving me insane since we met. I hate it when you are not by my side, I hate seeing you with the others. I don't want to share you with anyone," He continued, he looked down at her and saw pain in her eyes. "You are my One, I cannot live a moment longer without you."

"Kili," Her heart nearly stopped at his admission. His One. She was his One. She stepped in front of him and hesitantly reached up to brush several strands of lose hair away from his face, "you are my One, and that terrifies me."

"Rylee," he hauled her against him, his hands on her hips, the thick robe separated just enough to give him a glimpse of the curves under the thin tunic. Damn she was beautiful. "I am going to kiss you now. I may not be able to stop."

His lips crushed hers and her arms rose to his shoulders, her hands in his hair. His heart ached as he pulled her against him. He needed more of her, he needed all of her. Anything she would give him he would take it willingly. His hands moved up her back, holding her tighter. One hand glided over her shoulder and up her collarbone to the bare column of her neck. She gasped at the contact and he used the moment to deepen the kiss. His tongue brushing against hers, hers was dancing with his. It was almost tentative, like the first one they shared.

He pulled away from her for a moment, allowing them both to catch their breath. "Rylee marry me, become my wife."

"Kili," She tried to step back, fear filling her eyes. He stopped her and put a finger over her lips.

"Hear me out, Rylee," Kili said softly, kissing her again when she tried to protest. "I love you, I don't care that we are on a quest. We could die tomorrow or two hundred years from now, it would not matter as long as I spend every moment I can with you. You are my One, you said I am yours, what is there to keep us apart?"

"What if I have to sacrifice myself again? What if my quest is to be bait to the dragon again? I never want to hurt you Kili, it would haunt me." Rylee whispered, a frown marring her beautiful face. He kissed away the lines.

"We will cross that bridge when it comes Rylee, I am not afraid to love you. I love the brash reckless War Maiden, covered in Orc and Warg blood, I love the Armorer covered in soot and ash, and I love when you are just you, a dwarrowdam who holds my heart in her hands." Kili said, his voice was husky with want and need. He needed her to say yes to him.

"What about the dancer of sword and axe?" Rylee asked softly, "Do you love her as well? Or, the dwarf maid, who will never be able to cook you an edible meal, what of her?"

"Daughter of Mahal, I will take you in any and every form you present yourself to be. Even covered in slough sludge, I want all of you, I need all of you." Kili vowed. He watched her face as she slowly overcame her doubts. He was certain he was going to win her. He just needed to hear her say yes. "Please Rylee, become my wife."

"When?" Rylee asked, her voice was soft, scared, "When would you want to marry?"

"Now? Yesterday? The day we first met?" Kili said with a seductive grin, her hand moved to touch his face, brushing over his lips, he kissed her finger tips.

She laughed softly at his eagerness, "Kili, you rush me. I need sleep, and I need proper clothes, as well as your Uncle's blessing. Give me four days."

"Why Rylee, why must we wait?" Kili said, he wanted her tonight, he could not spend any more time apart from her.

"I want you to court me properly Kili, for three full days, morning to night," Rylee told him. "You don't know me, you don't know what a tyrant I can be, and I don't know you. We spend the next three days together, learning about each other. On the fourth day we will wed."

"You realize that we have had five weeks on the trail together, where there is little to no privacy amongst us, you know me as well as anyone in the Company, other than Fili and Uncle Thorin." Kili argued with her, he would marry her in the morning if she would allow it.

"I know of your horrible habits on the trail, I know of your mischievous humor," Rylee whispered softly, her fingers brushed softly against his beard, and across his jaw. "I know of your bravery and valor, I know of your recklessness and your skill. I know that you are passionate, and you make my heart soar, but I do not know you, where you came from, your childhood, how many children you want, if any. I do not know what you want to do once this quest is done, I do not know of your fears. I want to know these things Kili. I want to know you before we marry, and I want you to know me."

"You are a demanding wench," Kili looked at her with shock and more than a little adoration, "at least you want to spend time with me."

"I have only started with my demands Kili," Rylee grinned up at him a wicked glint in her eye, "I want a traditional First Age wedding. An exchange of braids, a blood oath, and hand fast ceremony. Thorin, if he approves of our union, is to preside over it."

"Four days it is then," Kili grinned at her, his heart leaping for joy. He kissed her again and again, making her breathless. "I will do anything as long as I win you in the end. You are my prize. You are my treasure."

"You have forgotten something Kili," Rylee whispered as she gasped for breath between kisses.

"What, Rylee?" Kili groaned as he held her against him. Feeling her body through the robe was driving him to madness. "What have I forgotten? All I can think of is you."

She chuckled lowly, caressing his face and his trimmed beard. "Courting braids Kili. I want no more elf-maids making eyes at you."

"Mahal, tell me about it, Daeron was circling like a vulture the day we arrived! I know he was only helping you make me jealous but even so!" Kili growled with frustration remembering the Elven Captain who was hovering around the Armory. "I will not share you with anyone. I want you for mine Rylee Emitheral. Will you allow me to place a courting braid in your hair?"

"Aye Kili, as long as I can place mine in yours," Rylee whispered happily. She reached up and unclipped her hair allowing the dark fiery waves to spill around her face.

Kili could not stop his hands from threading into the thick dark waves. He pulled her against him so he could burrow his face into the luscious locks spilling over her shoulders. "I love the way you smell and the feel of your hair. My love, this may take a while. I just, I just need to hold you close."

He sat on the swing and pulled her into his lap. Kili combed his fingers through her hair, gently releasing the tangles that he found and separating all the braids. He chose a lock of hair just over her other braids and started to braid his claim into her hair. When he reached the end he pulled out one of his blue Durin beads. It had his name, his color, his line. It was his mark. He closed the bead and tugged on it lovingly. "Mine Rylee. In four days, I will have you as mine."

She turned towards him with an impish grin on her face, "Be careful, Kili. You may not like me after the next three days."

She reached up and undid the clasp in his hair. She chose the same place in his hair as he chose in hers. It was tradition that they match in courtship. She twined her braid into his hair and pulled a bead from the pocket of her robe. "Do you always carry a bead in your robe Rylee? Or were you that sure of me?"

"Ever hopeful, Kili," Rylee whispered as she fastened the Blood Mithril and Black Diamond clasp into his hair, it was the only one of her beads that had her name on it. She made it before leaving Aman in hopes of this moment, the moment she could make claim to her One. She tugged on the braid and whispered, "My one, my only."

"I love the way you say it." Kili said softly as he pulled her against him for a kiss. They helped each other fix their hair back into their clasps and then Kili just held her against him on the swing. They stayed there until well after midnight, calmed by the sound of the waterfall in the pond, enjoying being curled in each other's arms. When she started to fall asleep against him he decided that it was time to go, she needed her rest and he was keeping her from it.

He walked her to the door of the house and he kissed her goodnight. As he began to walk away Rylee called, "Kili, meet me at the training fields in the morning, bring your weapons, and tell Dwalin that I will be helping you train for the next three days."

He frowned and walked swiftly away to go talk with his uncle. He found him with the rest of the group. He was suddenly terrified that his uncle would disapprove of the union, telling them that it would create too much of a distraction on the road. Or tell him that they were rushing it and had to wait until Kili built halls of his own for her. He pushed forward and made his way to their quarters.

"Well, Kili?" Thorin said looking at the young dwarf before him. Kili was gone for hours, which could mean anything. The lad was filled with nervous energy. He could not tell if the lad came with good news or bad, the look in his eye was nearing wildness. Rylee was stubborn enough to hold him away from her for years, "Will she have you or not?"

"Aye, she said yes," Kili stopped for a moment and looked up at his uncle as the words settled into his own mind. Rylee said she would have him. That she would marry him. Meeting his uncle's eyes he felt a grin spread across his face, he turned his head showing his uncle the courting braid, "She will marry me, if she has your blessing."

"And I take it you wish to have the wedding sooner rather than later," Thorin smirked knowingly as a resounding joyous cheer filled the room as the group heard the news. Elorin cracked open the keg and mugs were passed around. Kili was brash and reckless as always, but in this case he understood. His nephew wanted to catch and tame his filly before she could think to run away again.

"I would marry her tomorrow if she would allow it but she has agreed to marry in four days. Is that enough time to arrange everything?" Kili said, looking from Thorin to Fili then Bilbo and back to Thorin. "She wants me to court her morning to night for the next three days, and on the fourth she wants a proper wedding from the First Age."

"Who are you going to invite Kili?" Ori asked with a smirk, "You have any elf maids in mind?"

"Very funny, you just won't let that one go." Kili rolled his eyes with a chuckle, then he turned serious. "Just the company, Elihara, Elorin, and Lord Elrond of course. I mean it's not like we need anything big and fancy."

Gandalf and Elrond wandered into the courtyard at that moment, "What doesn't need to be fancy?"

"Rylee has agreed to marry Kili," Thorin shot Gandalf a knowing look, and Gandalf looked a little more than merely amused. For weeks they watched Rylee hold Kili at a distance, not willing to be hurt by the one person who held her heart. They watched Kili fight with his feelings for her. Denying what he knew all along. Finally the pair acknowledged their feelings for each other. "Four days from now."

"Then you are correct, simpler would be best. Her customs would be from the First Age," Elrond nodded wisely. He looked at the party of dwarves before him. Much had changed in their customs over the Ages, but that would be the kind of union that Rylee would expect. "She will want to exchange braids, so you will need a hair clasp that signifies your relationship and love for her. And you will need to be prepared for the blood oath."

"Yes that is what she said. An exchange of braids, a blood oath, and a hand fast ceremony." Kili's nodded at Lord Elrond's words confirming what Rylee requested.

Fili's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "They really used to do that?"

"Aye," Elrond said in amusement. "Usually with an oath to the effect of, 'My heart unites with yours to make One.' It would be the simplest union."

"It sounds almost archaic to me," Ori said, thinking about the lost tradition, there was a reason why it was lost. Perhaps it should stay in the past. He was a little squeamish about the blood part. "What about the building year, Kili is to make a home for them, and the exchange of dowry to her family? She is to make her robes for the ceremony."

"Ori, Rylee does not have family here to accept a dowry, it would be redundant for Kili to give a dowry to his own uncle for her hand. She does not know how to sew, and she would be the first to tell you that her home is wherever her One is." Gandalf told the young scribe, "A blood bond will do more to create a tie with Kili and his family than your current traditions will. It is more sacred of a bond. Deeper and more lasting, and if one of you even mentions a contract in her presence expect to feel her wrath. A woman from her Age would never allow a piece of paper to guide her love for her chosen husband, not when a blood bond will unite them beyond death and into Mahal's Halls."

"Yes, it is one of the most elegant and durable of any bonds that I have ever witnessed," Elrond said from beside Gandalf looking over at a thoughtful Kili. "Durin and his One were united with a blood oath. The ceremony is simple, but quite beautiful. Thorin would have to be the one to bless and unite you as he is both your kin and your King."

"I like the sound of that, and it is what Rylee expects," Kili said looking over at Thorin, a smile lifting the corners of his lips. Thorin returned it. "Rylee is a War Maiden of the First Age, so many things have been lost during the Ages, but it does not have to be that way in this matter."

"Very wise, Kili. We shall arrange for the union to take place in the evening on the fourth day," Thorin advised, looking at the group before him. He knew exactly what Rylee wanted, only because Mahal told him. Being the brash impetuous War Maiden that she was, Rylee would be appalled at having to wait for a year when death and war were often days away. "There is only one difference that we must plan for and that is the exchange of rings, if the rings are not exchanged, the marriage will not be considered sanctified by the Seven Kingdoms."

"So Kili, is she holding you to the three day courting ritual as well?" Gandalf said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Aye, but I am not sure what to expect." Kili said looking up at the wizard, "She told me to bring my weapons and to tell Dwalin that she would be taking over my training for the next three days."

"It means that you will show up when expected and find ways to impress your lady." Balin told him, wise as always. "The next three days, you will get to know her and she you."

"That is good then, as long as we spend it together, I don't care what we will be doing." Kili said resolutely. Three whole days in the company of his beloved, it was exactly what he wanted. He turned to join his brother and to celebrate the news with the company.

Thorin watched his nephew walk away, and Elrond turned to look at him. "You are willing to bless this union then?"

"Aye, What of it?" Thorin met Lord Elrond's eyes with a fierce look of his own, "She is Kili's One, and he is hers. It would not do to tear them apart."

"The fact that she is the daughter of Aulë and Ilúvatar does not bother you?" Elrond asked softly.

"Of course it doesn't bother me, as her guardian and teacher, I am more aware of her beginnings than anyone. She has loved Kili from the moment they met. It is my belief that Mahal himself has blessed this union, I would be remiss by not doing the same." Thorin shot the Elven Lord a dark look. He might be a little cold sometimes but he was not heartless.

"Good," Elrond smiled and nodded and looked at Thorin for a long moment. "Her last betrothal was not one forged of love. She deserves joy, the fewer that stand in between that, the better for all."


	22. Mithril Days, Black Nights

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Chapter 22

Mithril Days, Black Nights

June 8 – 9

After talking to Irmo her dreams were so vivid that she continually woke with a scream in her throat. She was used to seeing death in her dreams but the horror of these dreams was unlike anything that she could describe. This was her eighth dream of the night. First Thorin, then Fili, and lastly Kili died. All of them dead. The heirs of Durin, the heirs of Erebor died, over and over again. Sometimes together, sometimes one by one. A knot settled in the pit of Rylee's belly.

The dream was so vivid and so real. For the first time since her quest began she saw the dragon, a red beast, large and long, with bat-like wings attached to its forelegs. Sharp, deadly spines along its face and down its back, its scales bright and its slimy belly glistened with melted gold and jewels. There was a singular dark spot where a scale was missing near its heart. She was riding the dragon and it was headed straight for a town. Kili and Fili and several other dwarves were running through the plank streets that held the town above water. They were running away from the dragon, and Rylee had her whip wrapped around its snout, but with a sharp snap to its jaws her whip broke apart into a thousand mithril jewels. Rylee began to slip off its neck and pulled out her axes in an effort to stop her fall and drove them deep into the muscle. It was too late, she had lost control of Smaug and the dragon snapped his teeth on Kili. He didn't even get the chance to scream. She woke with a scream of terror.

She was covered in a film of sweat, her heart was beating a hundred miles a minute, and her breath came out in ragged gasps. Pain filled her entire body and clenched her stomach tight in the grip of fear. She could not lose him. She would not allow it. She could not lose Thorin or Fili either. They were her family. The three of them meant the world to her, but Kili was so much more than just her One, he was everything to her.

Rylee rose, made her bed, dressed, and braided her hair. It was an artful braid, intricate and beautiful in honor of Eru. It was a tradition. Only her courting braid hung loose from the rest of the design, this braid she tucked behind her ear. She wanted it to be seen, but she also needed it to be out of the way while training with Kili.

She threw on a pair of black breaches and spent several minutes trying to figure out what dragon skin top she was going to wear before pulling out a simple red tunic. She left her mithril armor and her weapons at the house. She would not need them. This day she was testing her weapons. She was going to have Kili help her. She slipped out of the house under the cover of early morning darkness, Rohinna was still sleeping and Rylee didn't want to wake her unnecessarily. She headed to the Armory and greeted Elorin who was starting work within.

"Greetings Elorin," Rylee said with a grin, she could smell the ale on him as she entered the forge.

"Rylee! Let me see it!" Elorin spun and came at her with a hot iron. The tip of it was glowing a deep dark red. He had a big sloppy grin on his face and the beads in his beard were tinkling together as he turned.

"Hold up, Master Weapon Smith, unless you want this place to go up in flames, you will put the red iron down." Rylee said with a grin of her own.

"Right, sorry. It's not hot enough anyways," Elorin said dropping the cooling iron back into the hot coals. "So? Let me see it!"

"Wow, someone is excited about a courting braid," Rylee chuckled and pulled the braid from behind her ear. She remembered him offering to set her up with some of his friends in Gondolin and Rylee told him that there was no way she was interested in courting.

"I have been waiting to see this braid for over six thousand years," Elorin said as he gently touched the braid and examined the bead, "Well the lad knows his braids and he knows how to forge a clasp. Your Kili might just match you in talent with the metal work."

"I know. I spent the majority of last night examining his work. It is nearly flawless." Rylee said with a grin, "If I were to bet, he apprentices as a metal worker of some sort."

"A Dwarf after your own heart," Elorin said with a sly smile. The two were very much alike. Rylee was right, Kili did work with metal as an apprentice. He told Elorin that while they were waiting for Rylee to come out of the Forge, but he was reluctant to show Elorin his work. When the lad finally did, Elorin was blown away, Kili was quite talented. He also knew that Rylee once made an intricate metal miniature duplicate of the Vingilot as a gift for Elrond and Elros, every part moved of its own accord.

Rylee's defenses rose and she felt a little worried, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I am just saying you both work with metal," Elorin said cheekily, "I can imagine you both in your own forge, you making weapons for King Thorin, and Kili making whatever it is you think he makes."

"Maybe someday I can have a forge of my own," Rylee whispered softly, eyeing the tools and raw materials that were stored in neat cubbies around Elorin's immaculate shop. "I have never really given thought to what I would do after my quests are done. I only really use the fire because my magic drives me to it."

"Well mellon nin, I think it is time that you start thinking beyond the quest and into the future." Elorin advised her tugging twice on the braid, once in honor and the second in blessing of the Union.

"I suppose you are right Elorin," Rylee smiled softly, she never planned for her future before and it seemed odd to her to want to all of a sudden. Her secret wishes were for a home, a hearth and a family of her own. She wanted a husband who she could fight beside and who would see her for someone beyond the shiny crown attached to her head. Kili never paid any attention to it and often seemed completely unaware that it was even there. "Is Elihara awake? I want to make plans for this afternoon."

"Oh? What are you planning for this afternoon?" Elorin asked, his natural curiosity written all over his face.

"Nothing yet, this morning I want to test the weapons I made, and I want to come up with something special that Kili will like," Rylee said dropping her eyes to the floor, her hands tapping nervously at her sides. She wanted to spend the day with him doing things that they both would enjoy, but they were on a quest. They never really talked about what each other liked to do outside of that. She wondered if she should have asked for longer than the minimum three day courtship. It was usually used by couples who were known to each other, those whose families were close.

Elorin looked at her and realized that Rylee was not acting her usual self. She was nervous, blushing, and apparently scared. He knew she courted Thranduil during her third quest, he openly opposed it, which got him barred from seeing her. Not that Rylee ever allowed that to stop her from using his forge. By that point in time, Elorin figured it was as much hers as it was his. After she died, he missed her presence so much that he refused to work for several weeks. He just kept seeing Rylee inside the forge and then he would blink and she was gone. Regardless, Rylee was scared and wanted to make a good impression on Kili. It was so sweetly obvious how terrified being in love and having that love returned was making her.

"I have just the idea for you," Elorin said with a small smile, he led the way into the house and they found Elihara in the kitchen kneading loafs of lembas bread. "Eli, Rylee needs a go-box for the crystal caves for this afternoon."

"The crystal caves?" Elihara's eyebrows shot up. She met Elorin's eyes and then looked at the deep blush on Rylee's face. Understanding flowed through her, "Pulling out all of the stops for Kili are we? The caves will definitely make an impression."

"Where are the crystal caves?" Rylee asked quietly.

* * *

><p>He was up and dressed quickly the next morning, carrying his weapons and on his way before the rest of the company even opened their eyes. He rounded the corner by the Armory and passed Daeron, the Captain of the Guard limping off the training field toward the healing house. "You all right Daeron?"<p>

"Yes fine, I, um, just pulled something in my leg," Daeron grumbled as he limped past. Kili looked at him and noticed the dust marks marring his gear, indicating that the dark haired Elf took a fall. Kili just caught the words, "Bested by a dwarf girl, how humiliating."

Kili smirked and continued on to the training field where Rylee was waiting for him. A sheen of sweat was on her brow as though she had already been training. There were several weapons by her side. Obviously she sparred against the Elf and bested him in their match. Kili knew very well just how intense a fighter Rylee was. He approached her quietly and noticed that she had a sad reflective look on her face, one that was marred with worry and fear. Kili wondered for a moment what had her so distraught but the moment she heard him it disappeared and a smile lit her face. "Kili!"

"What was it?" Kili asked her, taking her hand. "What were you thinking about that upset you?"

She hesitated for a long moment before she finally answered with a small shrug, "I was thinking about a dream I had."

She didn't say anything else, and Kili decided to let it go, instead he took in the sight of his intended bride. She was dressed in black breeches and a simple red tunic, there was an oil rag hanging partially out of her pocket. Her hair was braided back away from her face in an elaborate plait that would put both Dori's and Nori's to shame. It framed her face making her hair look like a crown of dark fire. Every strand of hair was pulled into it, including the fine thin braids, family and friend braids, which only added to the intricacy of the style and made her hair look like it was strung with jewels. The heavy end fell down her back in one long four stranded knot braid and was clasped with a thick red mithril clip. The intricate runes were the only decoration. His courting braid hung loose and was tucked behind her ear, hanging in plain sight. He smiled at the sight of it.

"So what is with the braid?" Kili said admiring the braid. He thought it quite beautiful and it suited her well, but it would be heavy and hot and hard to sleep in it.

"In the First Age, during the courting days a maid would wear an intricate braid to honor the Valar. Since I honor Mahal every day, I will honor Eru during these days to thank him for breathing life into the form that the Valar created." Rylee said raising her eyes to Kili.

"What are the runes on the clasp?" Kili asked her as he pulled the heavy braid and clasp over her shoulder, examining the red metal. "I have never seen that clasp before."

"I found it in my pack this morning. It is of Eru's creation, it bears his marks. The runes say 'Child of the Valar'," Rylee said with a soft smile. "I am the child of their creation. The clasp tells my true beginning."

She lifted her hand and touched his face, his strong brow, trailing her fingers over his cheekbone to his jaw. Her fingertips brushing gently against his stubble before she moved her hand into his long hair and pulled him down to kiss her. It was just a soft brush of her lips over his, but the contact was enough to spark a bold need in both of them as Kili pulled her against him and deepened it.

Kili was reluctant to release her, but he knew they could not stand in the training field snogging all day. There would be soldiers, guards, and Dwarves coming to the field soon. He didn't want to share their intimacy with the world. Grudgingly, he pulled away. "The braid suits you but I miss running my fingers through your hair when I kiss you."

"Hmm," She sighed softly as she leaned against him. After her dreams she needed him to be close to her. She needed to know he was still with her and not a figment of her imagination. "I miss that too."

"Rylee, what are we doing today?" Kili asked looking at the weapons.

"This morning you are helping me test these weapons," Rylee grinned at him, her eyes flashing in the morning light. She turned away and picked up a short sword and a dagger from the pile, "We shall see what happens from there."

"What are you doing with the dagger?" Kili asked her as he raised his sword.

"I need to test it too." Rylee said softly. She raised her sword and took her stance. Sword in one hand, dagger in the other, she came at him quick and fierce. He thought that she would strike with the sword first but she feinted and slapped him with the dagger. "Come on Kili pay attention, you are better than that."

He struck with his sword and she parried and whirled away, striking out for him again. He had to jump away, no chance for him to move his blade in time. Finally he struck at her and metal rang against metal, she parried, pushed his blade back, moving her wrist she struck at him again, and this time he parried her blow. He thrust his sword towards her and curled it away. Back and forth they engaged in battle. When the rest of the company turned up for their daily training they were already covered in a thick sheen of sweat and Rylee had not yet moved on from her first weapons.

Fili, Thorin, and Dwalin sat on the sidelines watching the contest carefully. Dwalin watched them with a critical eye before he finally conceded, "She is as good as I remember."

"Aye, she is quite good." Fili said as he watched her attack Kili.

"She uses both front and back hand of the blade when she fights," Thorin added his observation.

"Quite strong too for a woman, look how she pushes his blade when she hits." Dwalin observed quietly, looking at Thorin. "After seven days locked in the Armory, she should be weakened. She seems even stronger than before."

"You don't think he is going easy on her?" Fili asked as he watched his brother. Kili was holding back on her, he could tell, "He is too hesitant, see how he drags his feet just a little? Kili doesn't usually do that."

She looked infinitely stronger after some rest and a bath, but there were still circles under her eyes indicating she was still not at her best. Thorin looked at the pair fighting, "If he knows what's good for him he will fight at his best."

"Why do you say that?" Fili asked looking up at his Uncle.

"Because lad," Dwalin answered for Thorin, "That lass is no pushover, if he wants to keep her, he needs to do it properly. Do you think Rylee would respect a man who did not value her as an equal?"

"I suppose not." Fili nodded. Kili went on the attack, driving Rylee back from him. His movements were quick and steady. His strikes were solid and heavy. She parried every attack, though some unsteadily. Upon occasion she used the large dagger to combat him, obviously testing the blade and the tang. "Looks like he caught on to the game."

"Aye, I suppose he has." Thorin said with a grin. The match went on for several more minutes. They were evenly matched in nearly every way, each of them taking time to attack and parry, dancing around the other searching for any weakness. The song of blade on blade rang out over the training field as they fought for dominance, it took a stealthy slice and drop before Kili had Rylee on her back, his sword at her neck. They all stood to join them. Kili pulled Rylee to her feet.

"If you are that good with a sword, my love, what are you like with your axes?" Kili whispered as he caught his breath. They had fought against each other with swords before, she usually used his while he used Thorin's, but they had yet to spar using their own weapons.

"Deadly," She grinned back as she took deep breaths of her own. They stood together and waited for the others to approach. She pulled an oiled cloth out of her pocket and polished and oiled the blade of the dagger.

"Your blade Master Dwalin," Rylee said holding out the freshly polished dagger. Dwalin took the blade from her hand and held it in his own, testing it for balance, structure, and fit. The blade shone brightly in the light, even after several direct hits from Kili's sword the blade was still razor sharp. The handle was some sort of darkened cherry wood, and what could only be braids of horse hair from Mikhaul. "Mikhaul insisted that I use some of her hair as decoration and binding on the handle, it is as strong as metal and it is light. The engravings on the blade mean 'quick and sure.' I wanted it to be about the same size as your other ones, so you can conceal it if need be.

"'Tis a beautiful blade." Dwalin said quietly, reverently. He was stunned nearly speechless.

"Who is the sword for?" Thorin asked holding out his hand for the short sword, without hesitation Rylee handed it over. It was heavier than it looked, it was definitely made for a male, and she used it easily as though weighted for her own hand. It was faultless, the handle made out of some sort of black bone, fitted to perfection. It was a short sword, but the inside blade curved inwards to a needle sharp point then curved to create a wedged cleft and curved back to the hilt. There was a long furrow in the center on each side to give greater flexibility and to lighten the already heavy weapon. The innermost layer, which could only be seen from the tip, edges, and inside the furrows, was a deep pinkish red in color. It looked like they were already blooded.

"It will tell me when the runes speak," Rylee said looking at Thorin her eyes grave and dark. Rylee was certain that the sword was for Fili. To her it only made sense, since it had an exact replica in the pile. "Like the bow, or like Kili's dagger, but this time I cannot give them to the owner until the time is right."

Thorin passed the sword to Kili, but nothing happened. Kili's eyes widened as he held the sword in his hand and then back at the petit dwarrowdam. He passed the sword to Fili and they all watched in awe as the runes lit up. Only Rylee watched with expectation studying Fili's face as it lit with elation. His eyebrows rose, and his blue eyes widened with shock, his lips pulled into a great smile.

"So the sword is mine?" Fili asked softly, staring at the lines of the blade. It fit him to perfection, it was strong and yet was both a thrusting and cutting blade, "but you cannot give it to me yet?"

"Aye, it and its mate, they come as a pair, I already tested the other. I will know when it is the right time to give it to you," Rylee said meeting Fili's eyes with a soft smile.

"This is your Blood Mithril is it not?" Dwalin asked looking again at the sword. He worked with metal for years as a smith, never had he been able to match that color with the pigments available.

She nodded as she went back to the pile of weapons. She pulled out the mate for Fili's sword and handed it to him. He could test them for himself before she put them away later. "Test them and enjoy them during training today Fili, but when you are done, they must go back in the pile for when it is time. Come on Kili. Pick a weapon, I want to go do other things and we can't do that until these have been properly tested."

Kili grinned at her as he followed. "Is there one in there for me?"

"Perhaps," Rylee hedged slyly, a smile spreading across her face, "Would you like to go find it?"

"Really Rylee? Is that really a question?" Kili smirked as they made their way to the pile. "You really are a cheeky girl."

"Says the cheekiest boy I have ever met," Rylee quipped in return, nudging his shoulder as they went, he stumbled a little and she laughed, "Hurry up Kili, we don't have all day!"

"You truly are a tyrant, you know that?" Kili chuckled as he straightened up, grabbed her, pulled her off of her feet and carried her over to the edge of the field. She shrieked and laughed until he put her down.

"Nay, she is the best sister a man can ask for, these are perfection!" Fili said swinging the swords in tandem, testing their fit, balance, and their swing.

"Well," Dwalin said with a smirk, "Looks like I don't have to worry about the boy slacking off."

"Kili is not complaining," Thorin chuckled lowly, as he watched the pair square off once again, "You know him Dwalin, he loves training. He loves it as much as she does."

* * *

><p>Spending the first few hours training with her was a treat. She rarely trained with them on the road, mostly because of time. There was usually not time to train once she came back from her hunts and the times they could train, they were practicing with the bow. He asked her if she would be training against him with the whip or the axes the next day. She promised him that she would use her axes against his sword.<p>

She made the most wonderful weapons. They were perfectly balanced, a dream to use, sharp as razors, not to mention beautifully crafted. His was perfect for his hand. It was a long sword, made of welded, layered, and folded blue steel, double edged with red mithril. A vein of blue ran through the furrow that ran down the center of the blade. The hilt and pommel was made of dragon scale, the handle was a dragon claw wrapped in blue leather. Fast and deadly, it was a dream to use but she was adamant that he was not allowed to keep it until it was time. He asked her how she planned to store all of the weapons and she smiled oddly and said that Mahal would keep them for her until she needed them.

"How does that work Rylee?" Kili asked her as they walked away from the training field hand in hand. "You said that you found the clasp in your satchel this morning. Was it not there before?"

"No, the satchel that Mikhaul carries for me is made with magic." Rylee smiled up at him, "When one of the Vala think that I might have need of something they put it into a box in the Mansions of Mahal. The box is somehow, don't ask me how, linked to my satchel. It works the other way too. If I put something inside all I have to do is think about storing it for later and it is gone, when I want it back it returns. Mikhaul usually keeps my satchel with her so it does not fall into enemy hands."

"So you could write letters to the Valar and send them through the pack?" Kili asked softly.

"I suppose yes," Rylee said thinking about it. "I have not thought to use it like that but it is magic and should not be abused."

The more time he spent with her the more he loved her. They spent the remainder of the afternoon roaming the city of Rivendell looking for the perfect items for her arrows. It was like a treasure hunt. They held hands as they wandered and talked for hours about everything under the sun. She asked him questions about his childhood, what it was like to have a brother, what his mother was like. She asked him to tell her the tales of Erebor and about Ered Luin, where he grew up.

He told her that Fili was a great older brother, they did almost everything together, hunting and fishing, sparring, training even drinking and meeting women. Kili was embarrassed to tell her that, but Rylee just listened and didn't say a word. He told her that he often felt like a shadow when they went to the taverns or when Thorin held a feast. Fili got all of the attention from the ladies, he had more friends, everyone wanted to be around him. He had such charismatic persona and that cheeky grin that the ladies just loved. Fili grew out his beard and wore his braids with pride. He felt that Fili was the better warrior between the two of them and was certain that Thorin felt the same. He just wanted to prove himself.

He told her that his mother was a strong Dwarrowdam with a quick wit and a great sense of humor, but she had a wicked temper when crossed. When he and Fili would mess up she could deal out the worst punishments, but mostly because they were the most fitting. She was almost as good of a cook as Bombur and made the most wonderful cookies and cakes. She could paint pictures like a master, everything she painted looked so real and filled with life. She sold her paintings at the markets, both those of Dwarves and Men, and they made a good portion of their family's income off of them.

"So, what was your hunt to prove you were battle ready?" Rylee asked him, he already knew that she killed Thuringwethil but she didn't know about his.

"I was near the old mines of Belegost on a high mountain trail in the thick pine forest that grew there, hunting a pair of big horned sheep. When their tracks led further up the trail I followed, it took hours to stalk the pair of huge old rams. When a heavy rain started I thought to go back, but they were so close, I could feel it." Kili said as he told her of his first solo hunt when he came of age at thirty. "I decided to keep going. I followed quickly knowing that if I didn't I would lose their trail, but I had to be as silent as possible or I would spook them. I found the perfect spot downwind to use as a blind and I waited them out. Hours passed and the rain turned to snow, and night was about to fall when finally the pair came back down the trail. I had my bow out and an arrow nocked, and as I drew it back I knew that it was the perfect shot. At the last moment the both spooked, I had no idea what would have spooked them until I heard the growl."

"What was it Kili?" Rylee asked softly, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"A massive wolf, bigger than any wolf I have ever seen. Bigger even than the Wargs that hunted us on our way here. The rams took off, but the wolf noticed me, and I had no choice but to attack it or it would attack me. I was certain that it told me that I was going to die. It told me that I was nothing more than a dead Dwarf boy," Kili told her, he nearly chuckled as he realized that she was holding her breath. "It took me three arrows to take it down. I hit it in the flank first then the neck before my final arrow found its eye."

"You took down a werewolf with three arrows?" Rylee gasped in wonder as she looked up at Kili.

"A what now?" Kili asked in confusion, "It was just a wolf Rylee, not a man beast."

"No Kili, a werewolf looks just like a regular wolf, but they are huge! They have the ability to speak." Rylee shook her head and smiled at him, "To take it down with an arrow is a huge feat. What did you do with it?"

"Well I drug it home, and we skinned it and had it cleaned. The fur is on my bed at home." Kili told her with a small amount of pride. He never thought that it was such a big deal to kill a wolf, but both Fili and Thorin had been pretty impressed. Thorin did complain that he didn't bring home any edible meat though.

"No wonder Thorin trusts you to do the hunting Kili, that is amazing!" Rylee grinned up at him. He loved the way her eyes sparked as she told him her thoughts.

He asked her much of the same questions as she asked him. She told him that Yavanna was her mother, Mahal and Thorin shared the responsibility as her father, and the other Valar were her aunts and uncles. Each of the Valar took time to teach her what she would need to know to be successful in her duties. They were a perfectly happy family until she rebelled at the age of twenty-three, she told him everything. About her shame, about how she nearly rent the Tapestry of Time, how she created a rift among the Valar. That she had shown them a great weakness amongst them, and that Eru had no choice but to tell everyone to back off. She was so hurt by his edict that she took it out on everyone, including Thorin, leaving only Mahal as a connection.

"I should never have run away Kili," Rylee whispered hoarsely, tears in her eyes. They were stopped in a massive garden filled with flowers of every shape and size. "I singlehandedly destroyed my own family. If I could do that to the Valar, what if-, what if I hurt you like that?"

He pulled her to him and held her, "You won't Rylee."

"But I could, just days ago I said horrible things about you and to you. I was vile and mean. You apologized to me, but I never apologized to you. I am truly sorry for what I said, I didn't mean a word of it," Rylee sniffled and looked up at him, her tears falling freely down her face.

"I already forgave you for that Rylee," Kili said softly wiping her tears away, "I did deserve it."

"No you didn't, no one deserves to be spoken to like that. Especially not you," Rylee shook her head slowly, trying to get him to understand what he meant to her. Trying to convey how horrible she felt for saying what she did. Then she lowered her gaze, not understanding why he forgave her so quickly. "I saw the pain on your face last night and I did that. I made you hurt and I hate myself for it. I am not afraid of much Kili, but hurting you tops the list."

"That is why you won't," Kili whispered in her ear, feeling her shiver against him. He rubbed his hands up and down her back, in an effort to sooth her and calm her. "That's why you are going to fix things with your family."

"How? How do I do that?" Rylee whispered back. She nestled her face into his neck and hair, holding him tight to her.

"The same way you just fixed everything with me," Kili kissed her ear making her giggle, "By talking to them. Start by talking to them."

"I love you Kili," Rylee hugged him even tighter, holding him as close as she could before pulling away. "You are everything to me."

He took her hand in his and they left the garden continuing on along their path. The flat cobblestones under their feet were white sandstone. Trees, shrubs, and flowers of every shape and color lined their path filling the air with their fragrant scents. There were several Elves in their homes practicing music or singing, lifting the mood of the small river city. They walked almost aimlessly through the city, always winding down through the streets to the main basin where the waterfalls met. At the bottom of the ravine that housed Rivendell, the main road connected to a long catwalk and a beautiful open market that ran along the bay.

"Kili," Rylee said as they made their way towards the long boardwalk that followed the long beach towards a set of tall waterfalls on the far side of the bay. Rylee didn't tell Kili, but she arranged for a picnic to be sent there for their dinner, Elorin and Elihara helped her set everything up. "What occupation did you do in Ered Luin? Before you left for this quest?"

"I was a miner," Kili sighed and looked at her feeling a little morose. "I hated it, but it helped keep a roof over our heads, and save for this quest. Every once in a while we were hired out as scouts and guides to escort merchants Southeast to Dunland and then back to Ered Luin. Thorin worked a forge, I preferred to spend time with him. I was apprenticing under him when I had time. I preferred to make fine artifacts to anything else. Weapons were my second favorite, not that I was as good as you are. We were commissioned to mostly do smith work though. Horseshoes, bolts, hinges, that kind of thing."

"Fascinating!" Rylee said her eyes sparkling with interest. "What kinds of artifacts?"

"Fine detailed pieces. Would you like to see something I made, Rylee?" Kili asked warily, she wondered why. "It is not my best work, it was one of my first pieces."

"I would love to see, Kili" Rylee told him softly. Excitement filled her.

He reached into an inner pocket and pulled out a hair clasp. It was wrought of shining black iron, the main clasp was bead-like like most clasps, and the top adornment was artful and elegant. A tiny metal flower grew out of the clasp with an intricate butterfly sitting beside it. "It is wonderful, Kili. You are very talented."

"You are just saying that," Kili scoffed, putting the clasp back into his pocket.

"No Kili, I am not." Rylee said stopping suddenly, she made him face her. "I will not lie to you. You said it was not your best work, and yet I have seen much worse being sold for great amounts of money in the market. I know metal Kili, I know how to work it and make it speak. When I say you have talent, I mean it with all of my being."

There was an odd light in her eyes as she spoke about metal and it sparked a curiosity in Kili. He remembered the night she showed them her magic by the fire, and the look of passion on her face. He had to know more, "Tell me about your work Rylee, what do you feel when you are working with the metal. Smelting, forming, I want you to describe what it is like for you."

"I have little to compare it to Kili." Rylee said as she thought about how to answer his question. "The muse hits me like a Balrog and I just can't let it go, it becomes a need to create and the anticipation becomes unbearable. There is trepidation as I start the fires and get the temperatures up, but as soon as I get started with the smelting, there is no stopping. It is like the muse takes over completely and it is all I can do to control the pace. The sparks, the showers, as I mould the metal and weld the layers into each other, creating form out of nothing, it is like there is a fire burning inside that is struggling to get free. There is so little thought, just a massive build until there is release. Other Weapon Smiths stop at the blade and let someone else create the handle and the hilt and pommel, but I can't. For me, a weapon is not complete until I can hold it in my hands and wield it as the weapon it was meant to be. I have no half measures," She told him, her voice was breathy, passionate, the white lights in her gray eyes sparkled brilliantly. Her cheeks were flushed and her excitement was both visible and distinctive as it emanated from her.

Kili wondered if she had any idea that what she was saying could be construed as a description of making love. Her innocence was nearly his undoing as he controlled the impulse to haul her against him and show her his own passion. Instead he lifted his hand and brushed her face from cheek bone to the tip of her jaw, his thumb stroked over her bottom lip and he whispered, "I would love to watch you work, work with you, create with you."

Her breath caught, her eyes widened and she trembled at his touch. The realization hit her that she just described the same feelings of passion in her work as she felt when he touched her. What she discovered was that what she felt while forging metal was nothing in comparison to the electric passion that sang through her at his touch. She also didn't miss the double meaning in his words, heat twisted and coiled tightly in her. "Oh!"

Every time she said that one surprised word, Kili was hit by the urge to kiss her. 'Oh' and her lip biting were the two things she did that made him think of kissing. He grinned as he watched her emotions flicker across her face, and the lights in her eyes flared brightly at his touch. He closed his eyes fighting for control, after watching her obvious and immediate desire. "We should go, Rylee, before I do something very inappropriate in front of all of these Elves."

"All right," she whispered breathily and spun away from him.

Walking swiftly across the boardwalk, he caught up to her just as they passed by a flower vendor. Catching her hand Kili stopped her and bought a pair of miniature red roses. He asked the vendor to cut the stem short. Taking the roses he tucked them into her hair, into one of the intricate braids. He whispered softly into her ear, "Beautiful, but not as beautiful as you are Rylee."

"You should wear roses in your hair always," The vendor said handing Rylee a mirror so she could see. Kili looked at the roses, and then at Rylee. The vendor was right. She should wear roses in her hair. He wondered if Elorin would allow him the use of his shop.

"Thank you," Rylee said handing the mirror back to the vendor. Then she took Kili's hands and pulled him after her, she tucked her arm around his waist, wanting to be closer to him. "They are beautiful Kili."

"Never as beautiful as you," He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, enjoying the feel of her against him.

They reached the waterfalls a few moments later, where they found a box with their names on it. Rylee picked it up and led him to a cave that was hidden behind one of the falls. It was long and deep, there was one singular long curve in it before it opened up into what could only be describes as crystalline wonder. It was not a large cavern yet it was not small either. There were cracks in the rocks beyond a wall of clear crystal that let in the daylight and lit the entire space with soft crackling blue light. The stalagmites and stalactites were also made of crystals, it was as though they walked into a room completely coated in gems. It was wondrous. It was private.

Rylee opened the box and began to pull out a blanket to sit on, and then a bottle of wine, glasses, and a basket full of food. There was roast chicken, potatoes, and steamed vegetables, all in a steam sac to keep it warm.

"Elorin and Elihara told me about this place," Rylee grinned as she showed Kili the fare. "Elihara cooked the chicken for us. I am lucky I have friends who are willing to cook for me, otherwise we would starve."

"I would never let you starve Rylee," Kili smirked looking over at her. She grinned back and handed him one of the legs of the chicken. They ate, they talked, they laughed, and enjoyed each other's company for hours. As the sun set, the cave started to get darker and darker, telling them it was time to go back. Luckily they didn't need to walk since Mikhaul showed up to give them a ride back. Kili kissed Rylee goodnight at her door and promised he would see her bright and early the following morning.

* * *

><p>She woke from the nightmare with a start, ever since walking out of the forge, her visions were much clearer. She knew precisely who she needed to save. It brought terror to her heart to think that she might fail. It was one thing to kill a dragon, and to sacrifice one's self to do so. It was an entirely different thing to try to save three dwarves, all of whom she loved, all of whom were becoming her family. What if she failed? Thorin, Fili, and Kili, she could not lose them. The worst part, she didn't know when it would happen.<p>

The sorrow that filled her heart grew and grew until it became unbearable. She dressed in her black coat dress similar to the one she wore on her first night and left the house. She wandered toward the main palace. She needed to be closer to the Company and she needed to see their faces, even if they would be sleeping. Creeping through the hallways, she made her way to the courtyard where she knew they were camping, until finally she looked upon them, thirteen dwarves and one small hobbit. Her friends, her family.

She hungrily devoured them with her eyes, taking in their peaceful expressions as they enjoyed a deep restful slumber. Their soft snores echoed through the small courtyard where they made their quarters. Bilbo was curled up so tight in his bedroll that she could only see the top of his sandy colored hair, not a single other inch of him was uncovered, not even a toe. Bombur's thick braid was wrapped around his neck like a fuzzy red scarf, Bofur's hat was on top of his face covering his eyes and nose while he breathed softly through his mouth, his dark braids curled up without the hat holding them down. Oin and Gloin slept back to back, Gloin's hand hovering near the handle of his great axe. She wondered when he had picked up that habit since it was not one that he had when they first started out. Ori slept with his head on his writing bag, and Dori and Nori slept on either side like sentinels keeping their little brother safe. Bifur slept propped against a low wall, his left arm twitching upon occasion and he kept uttering 'Du Bekar' in his sleep. He must have been remembering the great war at the gates of Moria. The thought saddened her. Dwalin and Balin slept at opposite sides of the courtyard like they were supposed to be the watchmen but both had given in to the peacefulness that was Rivendell.

Fili, Thorin, and Kili had somehow claimed the low lying wooden benches that edged the wall. One of Thorin's thickly muscled arms covered his eyes his other arm dangled limply over the edge of the bench and onto the ground. His neck was at an odd angle and his pillow was on the ground just out of reach of his fingers. She picked it up and as gently as she could, she maneuvered it back under his head. He grabbed hold of the softness, flipped himself onto his side and drew his dangling arm underneath him and under his thin blanket. Fili was curled up with his back towards her, his blanket clinging only to his feet. She could see the moment a chill picked up in the night breeze as he brushed his hand over his other arm searching for the missing blanket. Rylee crept forward silently and pulled the blanket over him. She could not help but brush a kiss over his temple as she tucked him in. A smile lifted her lips as he whispered, "Thanks Rylee."

"Sleep well Fili," She whispered and she didn't have to wait long before his breaths evened back out and he was fast asleep.

When her eyes fell on Kili's face her heart stopped for a long heartbreaking moment. His dark hair tumbled around his face, his dark lashes were like soft dark feathers against his lightly tanned skin. He looked so peaceful while sleeping, yet still his cheeky smile lingered at the corners of his mouth. His beard had thickened out over the course of the past few days and she knew he would soon need to find a private place to trim it. It was a task that he did when alone, dwarves did not like to trim their beards in front of others, and the rest of the company would find the task obscene. They would see it as some sort of self mutilation instead of an honor of his duty as a master archer. She didn't even know when he found the time while on the trail but then, she was not with them all the time and she often went off on her own for her own needs.

There were so many things she still did not know about him. So many things that she wanted to learn. She didn't think that a single lifetime with him would ever be enough to know him fully, she could spend thousands of years with him and still only know a fraction of his wonderful soul. If he died, she would die with him. She could not bear the idea of living without him and would do anything to protect him. She would give up everything.

Thorin, Fili, and Kili, destined to die. Their fates hung in the balance and could only be changed if she was able to find the path that would alter their destinies. An overwhelming fear settled over as she remembered every dream she had about their deaths. It was different every time, and more horrible to watch as each dream occurred. A small sob caught in her throat as she felt her fear rise. What if she failed? Unable to look upon their peaceful faces anymore she ran away, stumbling through the darkness, as tears started flowing freely down her face. She didn't see how far or near she went, she didn't know that she was going in circles or that she was winding her way into the music room. It wasn't until she arrived before a large harp that she realized where her feet took her.

The harp was beautiful. White and gold, with taut golden strings, it sat on a dais in the center of the room, a room created to capture and move sound. She sat on the bench and pulled the instrument to her shoulder. Reaching across the strings she began to play, her sorrows bled into the mournful tune. The tempo was slow and sad, the end notes were held, long and soft. Every line, every sound, the entire melody was imbued with sorrow so deep and cutting. She just let the notes cascade around her, rising from her finger tips to high crescendos then falling back to mournful weeping cries.

For an hour the music filtered softly through the halls of the Homely House, the cascade of notes gently roused the sleeping inhabitants and called them to gather and listen. Thorin was the first to rise and follow the sounds of the ethereal music. It was not the serene music of an elf, and yet it was also not the music of a dwarf. He stopped just within the shadows of the music room and found Rylee on the small dais playing the harp. Fili and Kili joined him seconds later. Kili was about to go to her when Thorin stopped him.

Rylee didn't know where the words came from, she just knew that they were the right ones and that they went with the melody that she was playing. With tears on her face, she swallowed the pain, and she began to sing;

_In the march of time we oft get lost,_

_'tween the days of dew and falls first frost,_

_Swept away in the new light of day_

_When the trials of life get in the way,_

_'Tis not till the end that we count the cost._

She lived her life in the shadows of regret,

Pining for the love of her One never met,

This was her lovers lament and these were her unsung wishes;

**_ A home filled with warmth,_**

**_ With family and wonder,_**

**_ A fire on the hearth,_**

**_ In the arms of her lover._**

_There is love unsung on a sea of sorrows,_

_Where the end of today darkens our tomorrows,_

_We shall ride the tides of a life bereft,_

_And pay the price for the loves we left,_

_There is no reward when the sadness borrows._

Forever off fighting those Dragons and Fires,

No time or place for her dreams or desires,

This was her lovers lament and these were her unsung wishes;

_ ** A joy in her heart, **_

**_ A song of great rapture,_**

**_ A babe on the breast,_**

_** A home full of laughter.**_

She lived her life in the shadows of regret,

Pining for the love of her One never met,

This was her lovers lament and these were her unsung wishes.

Forever off fighting those Dragons and Fires,

No time or place for her dreams or desires,

This was her lovers lament and these were her unsung wishes.

She finished playing the melody and lowered the harp gently to the floor. Using her sleeve she wiped the tears away from her eyes.

"You sing of sadness with the profundity of one who has known great loss," Thorin said softly as he stepped forward from the edge of the room. She looked up in surprise as she looked around the room and saw the entire company of dwarves, and around twenty elves gathered watching her. Gandalf and Elrond were among them. She was struck by the sadness on their faces. "Where did you learn that song?"

She shook her head and could not answer. She didn't know where it came from. Kili stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, she sobbed against his chest. "Sh-sh Rylee, it's okay, it will be okay."

"It is Rylee's song. Nienna sang it about her when she died in the War of Wrath," Gandalf said, his voice filled with awe and raw emotion as he stepped forward, clearing his throat. Rylee just held Kili tighter, not willing to let him go. She didn't care where the song came from. She just felt the truth in it. "It is the same song I heard when I watched Rylee fall from the dragon Ancalagon and the same song I dreamed before Rylee showed up at Bilbo's home."

"You think she was channeling Nienna?" Elrond said in surprise.

"Well she is gifted with Nienna's Grace," Gandalf told him with an odd look. "Like Nienna, Rylee is filled with the deepest compassion. She feels things deeper than most. Pain, love, fear, loss."

"Rylee, why do you sing that? Why such sadness?" Kili asked her, his heart wrenched as his One clutched him ever tighter. He rubbed her back, holding her against him. Fili came to their side and wrapped his arms around both.

"Let's take her to our quarters, give her a little privacy," Fili said as he helped Kili take her back to their sleeping quarters.

Thorin followed closely behind them, he watched Rylee carefully. She was not one for emotional outbursts like the one he just witnessed and that song was filled with such torment. Whatever brought the song to the surface was brought on by such pain that she could not contain or control it. The way she clutched Kili to her, the way she allowed Fili to lead them away, she loved them deeply. If something happened to them she would be lost. It was then he realized that she knew whose fate she needed to change.

"Which one is it, Rylee?" Thorin asked as they entered the courtyard. The others were still far behind them, so they had a moment of privacy. "Who do you have to save?"

She looked up at him, her gray eyes haunted, the white sparks were dim, washed out, "All three."

"What?" Fili asked, rearing away from her, looking at his uncle.

"If I fail, I lose all three of you, your line of Durin will be lost," Rylee said, her lip quivering, her eyes welling back up with tears. She closed her eyes. No longer sobbing, just letting the tears run. Her words echoed through Thorin's heart, "If I fail, I lose everyone I love."

"Well then, Lukhdel," Thorin said, deeply saddened. He was just told that he was one of three destined to die unless the young woman before him could change their fates. He was not sure what hit him worse, the idea that he was already pegged for death, or the idea that he would not get to see Rylee raise a family with his reckless nephew. That he would not get to see his sister again, or see if Fili would find a One of his own. Even the loss of returning home and seeing it prosper under his hands, did not compare to the loss of his family line. "We will just have to make sure you don't fail."

"So if you know who, do-," Fili started, terrified of even asking, "Do you know when?"

"No," Rylee said wiping away her tears. She rested her head on Kili's shoulder, burrowing her head into his neck and hair. "I won't know until just before it happens. If I am lucky I will get a week's warning, if not, then it could be mere hours."

"The dreams are only going to get worse aren't they?" Thorin asked. An uncomfortable feeling rose within him as he realized that her welfare meant a great deal to him, to see her in this much pain and heartbreak bothered him greatly. He just found her in this life, the girl he helped to raise, in the month since she joined them he found her to be everything and more than he could have hoped in his charge. He did not want to die, to do so would mean not being able to see her again. That thought alone was unbearable. He wanted his family to grow and prosper, and he wanted to watch it happen.

"Aye," She sighed as Kili began to rub the muscles of her back. He was her comfort, her solace. He was the only one who could ease the pain that lived in her heart.

"So what do we do in the mean time?" Fili asked feeling disheartened. They had faced several trials already on this trip and not once did he worry much about the possibility of death. Now all of a sudden those near brushes with death seemed much more profound. He did not want to die, he was not ready for death. He looked at Rylee, trying her hardest to stop her tears, and could not believe the burden that she was being forced to carry. It was up to her to save them. He finally understood Kili's frustration. While she was a War Maiden, she was also a Dwarrowdam, it was their job to keep her safe and treasure her like the precious jewel that she was. It should not have to fall on her shoulders to protect them. It just felt so wrong.

"We live," Rylee said almost angrily, Thorin watched as a fierce spark lit her dark grey eyes. "We live each day fully, as though it was our last, we fight to the end and we enjoy every moment of it. You will live as you have always done Fili and I will do whatever I must when the time comes. I refuse to lose any of you."

"As long as I get to keep you as my little sister, I will fight. We will all fight." Fili said with determination.

"Does this mean you still want to marry me?" Kili whispered, he refused to even think about the possibility of his death, he knew that it was likely since she woke from a nightmare with his name on her lips. It didn't really scare him. He was on a dangerous quest, the possibility of dying was obvious, it was what made it an adventure. He feared losing her, his One. He feared she would push him away again.

"Of course!" Rylee's eyes widened in horror, she never wanted him to doubt her feelings for him. If anything she wanted to marry him more than before. What time she had with him was precious. There was no way she would waste it. "You did not think that you could escape me that easily?"

"Why would I want to escape, Rylee?" Kili grinned down at her, then he winked at her, "I have unsung wishes to fulfill."

"Oh!" Her eyes widened at the thought. Kili, a hearth fire, a home, a family, a babe on her breast and him, it all started and ended with him. All of the things she never even dared to say out loud, not even to herself, he wanted to give to her. She did not think it possible for her love for him to grow, but in that moment it did. He pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her gently, softly.

"That's enough you two," Thorin said shaking his head at the pair, they were insatiable. The rest of the company arrived and were watching them like hawks, all of them wearing a smile of some sort. "Everyone go back to your beds. You too Kili, I am going to escort your betrothed home."

"But-," Kili protested, holding her tighter against him. How was he to comfort her and protect her when she was so far away? Thorin shot him a dark look that stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Morning is only a few hours away Kili and I plan on making you weep in training." Rylee grinned up at him, trying to lighten the mood from the somber effect of her song. His eyebrow quirked as he realized that she was taunting him, "The only way you will stand a chance is if you rest."

"We shall see about that," Kili growled, he dropped a quick kiss on her lips and stepped reluctantly away from his intended. "I will see you soon, my love."

Thorin took her arm and led her away. Winding their way through the corridors, they walked in silence until they were outside in the streets of Rivendell, then the mood seemed to change. Her warmth that she shared with Kili was gone, and she suddenly seemed sad and remorseful.

"I am sorry, Ugshar," Rylee said, her voice was dark with the stress that she was feeling.

"Why? You have nothing to be sorry for." Thorin argued. His voice was much harsher than he intended it to be and he winced inwardly.

"Do I not?" She asked him, somber and serious. Gone was the playful teasing tone that she had for Kili. "It was not wise to tell them or you that you are destined to die."

"We are all destined to die Rylee," Thorin reminded her soberly. His tone matched hers in almost every way. "You did no harm in reminding them that they are not invincible. They are both so young and have not experienced much more than a few adventures and those were simple expeditions. They do not know what we do. Neither of them has experienced war and death to the degree that we have."

"But it does them no good to go forward paralyzed with fear either. I am battle hardened and I am hasty to speak when I should hold my tongue." Rylee countered with a note of frustration. "And you seem more stoic and somber than ever before. I did that and it is unforgivable."

"As King of Durin's Folk and the Heir of Erebor I cannot allow myself to become attached. I must keep my distance or I will risk all of my decisions being colored by unnecessary emotions." Thorin shot her a glare. She as a former queen knew this better than most. She also knew the cost, the personal and emotional cost that went with being a leader.

"Is that truly what you believe Ugshar? What of your own happiness? What of finding a love of your own and enjoying your life? That must count for something?" Rylee stopped and grabbed his wrist pulling him to look at her. Her brow was furrowed in shock and confusion and frustration. She met his eye with a look of deep worry. "All of us need attachment to someone in order to keep ourselves sane in the dark moments, Thorin. Otherwise we risk becoming tainted by the evils of the world. It took me more than seven years to realize that I needed friends to keep me from becoming as dark as the dragons I am hunting. I had to find my One to learn this. People like you and I need people around us to ground us and remind us of whom we really are."

"Am I truly the elder in this relationship?" Thorin looked at her in awe. She seemed so wise, was she still channeling Nienna? Or was it Mahal and Eru? When had his little girl grown so much that she became so sensible? She was often so reckless and spirited that he often forgot that she was very astute and observant of others. He shook his head in wonder. "You have lived just seven years in this realm, yet you sound wiser than even Gandalf who has lived ages."

"Did I tell you that part of my quest is to live fully?" Rylee quirked her eyebrow at him, hands on her hips. "Perhaps you should also follow this advice and start enjoying your days. Somewhere in there you need to make time for your own happiness. You need to allow for love, affection, family. I understand that you have to play the part as King. Truly I do, I know that you have to make decisions and take on responsibilities that no one else will, but you have two nephews to help shoulder those responsibilities. You have Balin who is ready and willing to be an advisor to you until the bitter end and an entire Company of Dwarves ready to stand at your back when times get tough. I don't want to lose you to death Ugshar, but I don't want to lose you to evil either."

"What evil do you speak of Rylee?" Thorin said becoming defensive, thinking about the gold madness that tended to run in his blood line. It was the one thing he feared most. He never told her of his family's weakness to the gold and gems that filled the Lonely Mountain so what did she know of it? What could she possibly know of the evils of the world? Beyond war and dragons, what could she have experienced of true darkness?

"Morgoth had his fingers in everything, whether the Valar sent him into the Timeless Void or not, there will always be evil in this world." Rylee said, she took both of Thorin's hands in her own. "Sauron learned of evil on the heels of Morgoth, his shadow is still present in this world and I myself have seen the most horrible things. I know that there are temptations out there for us all, some we are more susceptible to than others. Think of your greatest fear. That is where you are at your weakest. Think of those you love and would protect with your very life. That is where you are at your strongest."

He looked at her for a long moment, and then he realized something. With every encounter with a dragon, or a werewolf, or Balrog, Orc, or Warg, she was dealing with the evil of Morgoth. Of anyone he ever met, she touched evil more times than anyone else. She was speaking of her own fears, of her own temptations to give in to evil. Her greatest fear was spiders. He remembered her story and how she shrugged off the ending to that tale, "What really happened with Ungoliant?"

"I was deep within her web, I had no way out, and she bit me. Her vile poison still runs through my veins," Rylee said, her voice was thick with fear. Her eyes darkened with the memory and Thorin could tell that she was still haunted by it. "She could speak you know? She told me that I was unloved. That I had nothing and nobody. I was alone and that I would be forever. It was my very first life. I had only been here for a few months and already discovered the prejudices of people. As hard as I looked, I could not find you, Olorin had returned to Aman. Galadriel was busy living her own life, Jovina, my hostess and friend in both my first and second lives, she was fighting off the evils of the world in her own way. I knew nothing of the temptations of evil, so when Ungoliant told me that my quest was fruitless, I nearly succumbed. All I had to do was give in to her venom, and I would feel no more pain, see no more death, it would all go away."

"What made you fight back?" Thorin asked, he could hear the wistfulness in her voice as she spoke of the temptation and he realized that it was one that she still fought every day.

"I heard a voice within the darkness, it reminded me of the light in my life. The voice said "Do not give up Amrâlimê, find your light in the darkness, I wait for you." The voice gave me shivers and made me feel warm inside. It set off a reaction within me, it reminded me that you were still out there waiting for me to find you. That Olorin and Galadriel were as close as I needed them to be, regardless of real distance. That Mikhaul loved me as did Mahal," Rylee whispered softly. "The voice reminded me that every day is a fight worth winning. So I released the catch on my whip, it was the only movement I could make, and I pushed the trigger for the blades. I was lucky to be wearing my mithril Armor, because the Elven clothing I was wearing at the time was destroyed. But so was the web. Once I was free, I was able to grab my axes and I spoke a singular command. I asked for light, blinding Ungoliant just long enough to use my Axe to get free."

"Why didn't you tell the truth while in camp?" Thorin asked in confusion. It was a more complete version than what she told them.

"No one likes to reveal their weaknesses. To let others see what lies in the darkness. I still have remnants of her venom inside of me and because of it I can feel the darkness of Sauron's creatures. I still hear her, Thorin. Every time I feel fear or get injured, I feel her tighten her web around me. I hear her voice asking me to join her in the darkness," Rylee whispered, her eyes were downcast. She was reluctant to show him the guilt in her eyes. "I know you hate when I use magic Thorin, but I would rather tell you about that than tell you that even after everything you taught me, I am still a weak and scared little girl."

"You have never been weak Rylee," Thorin said pulling her into his arms. "We may disagree on many things, but I have never doubted your strength or resilience. You are stronger than even you will give yourself credit for. Your fight with darkness does not need to consume you. I am here for you. We all are."

"And I am here for you when you fight your battles Ugshar. I will be here when you need me most. Promise me that you will open yourself up to the light in the world." Rylee wrapped her arms around him, holding him close to her. "You don't have to tell me of your darkness, just promise me that you will surround yourself with people who can pull you out when it comes to call."

"The gold madness is mine, Dragon Sickness, the line of Durin is tainted with it." Thorin whispered back, he could not believe he was sharing this with Rylee. He was supposed to be the one to offer her support and guidance to scare away the enemies in the darkness. As a teacher and mentor he was meant to be wise and as her Godfather he was meant to be the strong one. "My grandfather went mad with it, to the point that it strained the relationship with the elves and men that surrounded our mountain. So much so that when we needed the Elves most, they turned their back on us, because of something that they thought was simply greed. There are uncountable treasures in Erebor, and I fear that upon reaching it and seeing it, I will lose my mind like he did."

"Then you need to find someone you trust above all others who can reason with you, or even smack you out of it." Rylee told him, fire flashing in her eyes. "I didn't even know that there was such a sickness, but then evil does come in every form, even that of a spider."

Thorin said softly, "As my protégé and my equal, you have the right to hit me upside the head if I start to go gold crazy. You are likely the only one who would stand your ground against me."

"You would allow me to strike you?" Rylee looked at him as though he was truly crazy. She turned and continued to walk toward the Armory and her house beyond it. "You are a king, it would be treason for me to hit you Ugshar."

"No it would not, you are my equal, it might be considered an act of war, but it would not be treason for you to hit me," Thorin told her softly. He bumped her shoulder like Fili often did. "Considering that you are a queen in your own right."

"I never wanted to be a queen Thorin. If it were possible I would ask you to take it off, take it away." Rylee sighed in frustration. "For you, being King under the Mountain is a responsibility you were born to, you have understood your role all of your life. Your status is a mantle. You have a realm and a people. For me, it was a means to an end, it was a failed effort to unite the children of Ilúvatar. Now I am here ages later, still wearing a crown in the name of three still divided factions. I don't even have a realm to rule over, so really I am an exiled queen, if anything."

"The War of Wrath was won, thanks to your actions. You may not have lived to see it, but it was a victory for all of the races of Ilúvatar. In fact, it was one of the few last great alliances. If you require a kingdom reclaim Moria, and become her Queen," Thorin advised her. "When we are done with our quest, you take Kili and whatever men you need and you take back Moria. You would be the greatest Queen to live in this age. Wise and strong."

"That was theoretical and you know it. I do not want or need a kingdom. Besides you know as well as I do that Dwarves would never follow a Queen, they much prefer a King. Give it to Fili or Kili instead, they would rule it more wisely that I ever would." Rylee scoffed at him, waving away the entire idea of Moria and being a true Queen. She continued, on silent for a long time, her thoughts turned once again to her quest, her responsibilities, and her fears, "What if I fail my quest, Thorin? What happens if You, Fili, and Kili die? I would have nothing to hold me here. I would want death above all else."

"You are to change the hands of fate," Thorin reminded her gently, trying to assuage her guilt in the matter.

"Aye," Rylee sighed, she felt very sad, and entirely frustrated. "How do I do that when I don't even know when it is to happen? I have killed dragons, helped kill the four worst dragons. I fear that since this quest isn't about the dragon I will fail. If I am not here for the dragon, what am I here to prevent? And how do I prevent the deaths of the three most important people in my life?"

"Am I really that important to you Rylee?" Thorin asked her quietly as they reached her door.

"Thorin! You are my Adad!" Rylee looked at him in complete shock and horror. Tears welled in her eyes once more. "You are the one who told me to stop calling you that! You are as important to me as Mahal, you always have been! You once made me feel as though I was special and wanted. The time I spent with you was the most precious time I had. It was the part of the day I lived for. I hated it when you couldn't be there! It tore me apart when you pushed me away!"

"I should never have told you that, I was wrong," Thorin whispered as the old heartache filled his chest. In error, he took Eru's words to heart and pushed Rylee away, telling her to stop calling him Adad. When she did as he asked he fought against himself, one half of him telling himself that he was right to push her away. The other half telling him that she was his little girl and that she still needed him.

Rylee blinked back the tears, it was as close to an apology as she was going to get from him. She lost hope long ago that he would ever again call her nâtha. For him to admit that he was wrong, it was a big step for such a proud Dwarf and she would take what she could get. "I have always admired you Adad and since I have come here to your time I have loved being part of your Company. Though you are tempestuous and a little jaded, overall you are a great leader, a good friend, and a strong Dwarf."

"Tempestuous and jaded, huh?" Thorin shook his head, the cheek of the lass.

"Aye, you are a paradox. Someday you will have to tell me why you mistrust the elves as you do." Rylee said softly, her hand on the door handle. "Most are wise and have the best of intentions. I have met many who are just and kind. You would like Galadriel, she is beautiful both inside and out. I admit that I have also met some Elves who are not just or kind, but they are few in number. There are a few that I actually dislike completely, but they are the exceptions to the rule."

"I think that is another story for another time Rylee," Thorin smiled and kissed her on the cheek, "Morning will come soon and neither of us have had proper rest. Get thee to your bed lass, or you will never fulfill your promise to Kili."


	23. Spontaneity

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Chapter 23

Spontaneity

June 9

Rylee whipped Kili's arse in training, the first round at least, the second round lasted much longer and Kili just scraped out a lucky slap to Rylee's shoulder. They were both breathing heavily when Thorin and Dwalin rushed them and they had to work together to fight off the seasoned warriors. Kili was bested by Thorin and Ryle scrapped out a win against Dwalin. Leaving her against Thorin, who won but not until she had him beaten, battered, and bruised in the process.

Rylee was staring up at the white clouds in the blue sky, breathing hard while Thorin held his sword to her throat. "Damn, I thought I had you with that knee swipe."

"If it is any consolation I will be in pain for the next three days due to you." Thorin growled at her, removing his sword. The lass fought dirty, she was a fiery opponent and went all out when she sparred. There were no half measures. His pride swelled in him as he offered his hand to help her up. She amazed him at every turn when it came to her training. He thought about her revelations from the night before and realized that she hid a lot behind her tough exterior. She was as vulnerable as any other female he met, she just didn't show it. Where others would play off of it and use their softness as a lure, Rylee hid hers and denied even her own desires. Giving in to Kili was new for her, no wonder she was so afraid, she was opening herself up for a lot of hurt.

She waved him away, "I think I am just gonna lie here for a few hours, at least until my shoulders and arse stop hurting."

"Unfortunately you have no choice, Kili has made plans for you today, and it will be a short day. Fili and I need to see Kili this afternoon to make arrangements for the ceremony," Thorin told her his hand still held in offering. She reached up and took it, and he hauled her to her feet. She rose with a groan, rolling her shoulders. Thorin smirked at her, "I would not have won that if you were actually in the throes of battle. There were a few hits that you held back."

"Yes, well, there were a few times there that I had to remind myself we were training." Rylee admitted as she watched Kili and Dwalin walk over from the sidelines to meet them. "I go a little bloodthirsty when in battle situations. Your little surprise attack threw me into a bit of a blood rage."

Kili watched her brush away the dust and dirt from the training field, she was wearing fitted black leather breaches and a thin royal blue leather tunic that she let fall over her breaches to her upper thighs. Kili loved seeing her in blue, the color made her dark red hair light like a low burning ember. He loved seeing her hands brush against her clothes, imagining they were his hands lovingly touching her body. He brushed the thoughts away and pulled himself back to pay attention to her conversation with Thorin.

"I saw that happen in the Orc attack when the Warg knocked you off of Mikhaul." Thorin told her with a grin. "You have quite the war cry. Took him down with both blades."

"You were knocked off of Mikhaul?" Kili asked in frustration, "Will no one tell me what happened during that attack? I only saw you with the whip!"

"What is there to tell? A Warg knocked me off of Mikhaul and I took it out with my axes because it was too close to use my whip. I ran at it and planted both of my axes into its skull, it was a quick kill. An Orc came at me right after, I split it open and took its head. Then Mikhaul came back around to pick me up and we went off to kill some more Orcs." Rylee said nonchalantly watching in fascination as a spectrum of emotion flickered across Kili's face, from momentary horror, to pride and satisfaction. There was even a flash of pain and anger, "It wasn't anything really, took less than three minutes from start to finish. Lots of blood though. My leather may never be the same again."

He stood there glaring at her for a long moment. Rylee started to become concerned that he was going to just get more and more overprotective, to the point that it would drive them apart. She furrowed her brow and said softly, "Kili, I am a fighter, a skilled combatant, and I will stand beside you in a battle, not behind you. If I am behind you, it is to protect your back. I don't know if I could just stand by and watch."

"It's not that, I would prefer you by my side actually, we fight quite well together." Kili said rolling his eyes. He got over all of that while she was in the forge. He wanted her beside him in battle, as long as she was with him, he would be happy. "I thought you were amazing with the whip. I am angrier that I didn't get to see it, and everyone keeps rubbing it in. I swear Rylee, I am okay with the fact that you are a War Maiden."

"Really? There was this one time in the First Age during an attack by Ancalagon the Black we went up against several Balrogs. I lost both my axes and my whip for a bit and I had to use a discarded long sword. The damn thing was so heavy that I nearly took my own foot off. Imagine, me stumbling around with that fiery beast on my tail, trying to lift this massive sword." Rylee told the tall tale. Horror was written on Kili's face as Rylee stumbled around in re-enactment. She looked like an absolute fool, shrugging her shoulder as she brushed off the truth. Thorin just barely kept from laughing as he realized that she was fibbing for the sake of a joke. "And when I finally did, I nearly cut Durin in half! I gave the sword to Elorin, I wonder if he still has it."

"He does!" Elorin called from the sidelines where he sat with the others. He could see the teasing smile that lingered on Rylee's lips and realized that she was purposely telling the story wrong. He decided to play along, his own smirk on his face, "I still don't see how you used it Rylee, that one sword is heavier than both of my axes."

Rylee watched the astonished look on Kili's face turn to horror as he imagined her with a massive sword trying to kill a Balrog. Then she started to laugh, "I jest Kili, it was a single troll and I took off three of its fingers before I found my whip in the foray and beheaded it. It was a good sharp sword, just very unwieldy."

"Rylee, we need to work on your sense of humor," Kili said with a groan, he took her hand, "That was not funny."

"Speak for yourself lad" Dwalin said pointing at the sidelines where Fili, Ori, and Bofur were in the throes of laughter. Even Thorin was wearing a grin. "The lass took you for a ride."

"You should learn to read her tells Kili," Thorin chuckled softly meeting Kili's eyes, "she rarely lies and you can always tell when she does. I knew that she was joking from the start."

"Really?" Rylee asked in surprise. Her eyebrows shot up in question, then furrowed in frustration, "That explains so much!"

"What do you mean?" Kili asked looking at Thorin. Dwalin looked at Thorin as well and then at Rylee, his sharp eyes thoughtful and analytical.

"Don't forget Kili, I need you back at quarters by late afternoon, and you are both expected for dinner at sunset," Thorin grinned at them all and turned away not willing to share his secrets, "Elorin, might I see that sword?"

"So, uh, Kili?" Rylee asked acting suddenly as innocent as possible, as Elorin, Dwalin, and Thorin went into the Armory to take a look at the great longsword. "What are we doing today?"

"After that stunt?" Kili growled at her darkly, "I am putting you to work Woman."

"As long as it's not in a kitchen, then that is just fine with me." Rylee said with a completely serious face. She was up for anything, but cooking would just be a bad time for everyone. "The only thing I can do in the kitchen is stir stuff, and even then, it's bad. Really, really bad."

"I promise it won't be cooking, but if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I will consider making you cook something for punishment," Kili grinned at her. As much as he tried, he could not imagine her in the kitchen. He smirked and looked at her for a moment as an idea for their third courting day came to mind, he would talk to Elihara.

"Well it would be at the loss of your own teeth, Kili." Rylee countered with a small smile. Bofur and Bombur started to chuckle at her self-depreciating remarks, "I have burned down Nienna's kitchen more than once. Everything I make turns to stone. Or half cooked. Bone dry. Blackened. Ash would taste better."

"You really don't like to cook at all do you?" Kili asked her, mildly amused. They were walking away from the group, who were still laughing at Rylee describing her cooking.

"Of course not, and cooking hates me as much as I hate it. I would rather return to the depths of the Thangorodrim than cook, really!" Rylee told him, she was completely serious. There was no task she hated more. "I really hope you know how to cook Kili, otherwise we are going to starve to death."

"We won't starve Rylee, I promise you," Kili said laughing. It was a truth, his mother taught both him and his brother to cook. He was better in the kitchen than Fili was, though his brother would never admit it.

"That's good, because I like food."Rylee told him with a grin. "So where are we going?"

"Not very far," Kili assured her, leading her towards the edge of the training field. "I thought that today we could finish making your arrows and maybe work on our Marriage Clasps. I already talked to Elorin and he is giving us the forge for the day."

"You arranged a day in the Armory? Really?" Rylee asked in surprise. She was prepared for some sort of flowery and feminine filled courtship thing. When she was courted by Thranduil he took her to the Eldar feasts or for a carriage ride or for a romantic dinner. She was prepared for being bored out of her mind.

"That is okay, isn't it? I mean we could do something else, but since we both enjoy creating things out of metal, I thought-," Kili said wondering if perhaps he read her wrong and she wanted something more frilly for a courting day. She was pretty simple in her likes and dislikes. Other than her need to bathe regularly and looking amazing in a Dwarvish half dress he never saw her engage in the usual feminine activities. They passed Thorin and Dwalin as they left the Armory, Elorin followed closely behind them carrying the largest sword Kili ever saw made by man or elf. His heart nearly stopped, Rylee used that? Against a troll?

"It is perfect!" Rylee interrupted his thoughts, a massive grin spreading across her face. She hauled him against her and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. She was completely ignoring the sudden cries of shock as the others looked at the massive weapon being wielded by the Elven-Dwarf. All of her attention was focused on Kili and the gift that he was giving her, "I am so happy, Kili."

"You are deflecting," Kili accused her with a chuckle.

"Me? Never!"Rylee's eyes widened in feigned surprise, she gave him a smirk and shrugged. Kili's eyes narrowed on that one singular gesture, but he said nothing. "You know as well as I do that Fili is going to try to use that sword, right? We can stay and watch if you want. It should prove quite amusing."

They turned back to the training grounds and sure enough Fili was trying to hold the massive sword in both hands and after doing a small sequence of maneuvers he had to lower the weapon. Thorin, Dwalin, Fili, and Dori had the best success with the sword. Kili laughed as he watched several of the others each take a turn at trying to swing the great weapon, stumbling around under the weight. He looked down at her and whispered, "You know they are going to want you to prove that you can lift it right?"

"Like you don't want to try?" Rylee teased him lightly.

"Maybe a little," Kili admitted with a small smile.

They didn't have much of a choice, the entire company joined them at the edge of the training field with the sword and it was handed to Rylee, who shook her head and stepped back. "I really hate that sword regardless of how well made it is. It is unwieldy and ridiculously heavy."

"Come on, Rylee," Fili cajoled her with a grin. "Stop dancing around the vein and prove that you are no glass dwarf."

"A glass dwarf Fili? Really? Fine, step back," She said as she rolled her eyes, shook her head, and took the handle of the sword. She took her stance and lifted the sword. Her muscles were burning as she performed a two handed overhand strike into an upward thrust maneuver before dropping the great sword back to a fools guard. She grunted at each stop, as the sword really was much too long and heavy for her small frame. She was breathing and sweating heavily as she handed the sword to Kili, every muscle in her body was shaking under the exertion. "I really hate that sword."

"Not bad," Fili said with a grin. He winked at her and said, "For a girl."

"Ag zasasmaki rathkh-hund," Rylee quipped back with a grin of her own, her grey eyes flashed with white sparks, raising her fist threateningly at Fili. She was teasing of course, she would prefer throwing rocks at him than give him a knuckle sandwich.

"Now, now, no need to come to blows," Kili said as he took the sword and completed the same maneuvers and then added several more just to prove to himself that he could. He was astounded by how heavy the sword was. It was not long before his muscles were burning with the effort and sweat beaded on his brow. How Rylee could even complete the few moves that she did was beyond him, she was so small. "I see why you gave it to Elorin, he has both height and breadth to wield it, whereas you definitely do not. Let's go love, the day is wasting and we only have a few hours."

He handed the blade back to its master and took Rylee's hand. He didn't have to say another word. They walked quickly away before they got called back to the others again. The moment they walked into the Armory, Rylee locked the heavy doors. Kili looked at her in askance. Thorin had already warned them against locked doors and intimacy before the wedding. Rylee shifted uncomfortably, "I trust no one with what I am about to show you. I already showed you some of my magic but what I am about to show you is ancient blood magic. I want to share it with you."

"Are you certain Rylee?" Kili asked. He was both terrified and honored that she would be willing to show him something so significant.

"I want you to know me Kili, and this," Rylee said looking around with a wave of her hand, "This is a significant part of who and what I am. If you cannot accept this part of me then there is no sense in getting married."

"Show me," Kili said. He took a seat on the bench where she told him to sit and waited as she stoked the fire in the forge.

She didn't need to use the billows or most of the instruments to get the forge up to temperature. Once she started chanting it took very little time for her to start the smelting process, she gathered different metals, including one bright hunk of mithril that she carried in her pack. It didn't take much of the metal to change the others. He noticed that the main emotion that she spoke with was one of passion and of love. There were others, pain, hate, rage, and sorrow, but they were always balanced with positive emotion.

He watched in awe as the emotions she described the day before flit across her face. The initial trepidation as she started which escalated into a driving need, the white light in her eyes flashed and flared as she worked through each step. Once she had the metals melted and mixed she took one of her daggers and made a small cut on her left hand, just below the middle finger, one singular drop of blood fell into the vat and instead of burning up in the heat of the molten metal it was sucked into it, absorbed, and the color was changed. Still she sang her song, imbuing the metal with emotion and power. Finally she poured the metal into a long bar.

Still singing she manipulated the temperature, to the point that the metal became immediately workable. The passion in her face flared as she worked with the metal. Kili watched in amazement as the bright white sparks in Rylee's eyes, brightened feverishly in the heat of the forge. He watched the passion in her face as she worked the metal. Her movements were precise. She instinctively knew when the metal was the right temperature. Each strike of the various ballpein hammers on the metal was concise and measured for a particular effect on the metal. It took her no time to create her arrowheads, each one intricately made, with runes for speed and accuracy written into them. If she stood them on their ends they would look like spiraled three sided pyramids, made specifically to spin and twist deep through the armor of her enemies.

He watched as once again she tempered the metal and allowed it to bleed and once she was done she oiled each tip and buffed it until the triple twisting arrowheads shone like bloodied talons in the light of the forge. Finally she released her spell and stumbled back in exhaustion. Kili caught her and held her against him as her entire body shook from the exertion. He was worried until she looked up at him with a small smile, one of satisfaction. It was not quite one of bliss, but she was happy. "That was beautiful, Rylee, you are beautiful."

She turned in his arms and kissed him, softly, "Thank you Kili. If this is what sharing a forge with you will be like, you may join me every day."

"When I build our home, I will be sure to build us a magnificent forge to go with it." He whispered, loving the feel of her body against his. She was flushed and warm, her eyes sparkled brilliantly, and he wanted nothing more than to turn her moment of satisfaction to one of completion. He wanted to give that to her. "I don't know how much work we will actually do, because seeing you like this Rylee-"

He crushed her against him, molding her body to his, so she could feel how much he wanted her. His hands kneaded into her bottom lifting her against him, she wrapped her legs around his hips as he pressed her against the workbench. He nuzzled his nose against her ear, burying his face in the tendrils of her soft hair that came loose from her braid, framing her face and neck. She moaned softly at the intimacy, arching against him. Her reactions thrilled him and he promised her, "Two more nights Rylee, then I make you mine."

Her hands brushed over his arms, settling on his shoulders before twining gently into his hair. He kissed and nipped his way to her mouth, where she met his kiss with equal fervor. Their tongues mated feverishly, brushing, stroking, and gliding together as they yearned for deeper intimacy. His hands ghosted up from her beautiful behind to her hips and over the sensitive flesh of her waist, seeking the softness of her breasts. He could feel her nipples harden at his touch through the soft blue leather. Kili knew they had to stop, Thorin would tear them both apart if they took this too far, as would Mahal. He really didn't want to think about that, but Mahal was her father and Kili would never disrespect Mahal by disrespecting her in such a way. She mewled softly against his mouth in protest when he pulled away.

"I want you now, Kili. I need-, I want-," Rylee gasped clutching him to her. She was burning for him. Yearning for things she did not fully understand, she only knew that he was the only one who could fulfill her desires. Her frustration grew as she knew that they could not give in to the temptation, not yet, she knew this but it was so hard to let him go.

"I know. I know my love, soon," Kili said, chuckling softly. She was the one to set the terms of their wedding, and here she was the one who was too impatient to wait. "First I must court you and make sure that you cannot live without me, because once I have you Rylee, I will never let you go."

He unhooked her legs from around him and set her feet back onto the floor. With one last soft unhurried kiss he tempered his desire for more contact and unlocked the armory door. They set to work finishing her arrows and working on other things. He could watch her work all day and never get bored of the expressions on her face or the lines of her body. He wished for a moment that he could draw like Ori, so he could capture her in motion. They spent the remainder of the day in the forge working either together on her arrows or beside each other on their clasps. Together they made a couple dozen arrows for her bow, laughing and talking through each and every step of the process.

When they were done with the arrows they separated at the workbench to work on their own projects. Kili used some of the red mithril to make Rylee's braid clasps, knowing that it would look best on her. Molding and flattening out thin pieces of the deep red metal and slowly cutting, curling, and welding them into place. As tempting as it was to peek at what she was working on, he did not. He could wait for the surprise.

Rylee too was thrilled with their time spent together. When they moved apart to work on their clasps, she felt no pressure from him to share what she was creating for him, and though she was curious she gave him his space. She loved pleasant surprises, they were so rare, and she just wanted to let it happen. They talked while they worked about anything and everything they could think of. Kili shared some of his favorite legends with her, two of which she countered with the true tale of the legend. One of which she was able to color with her own memories and thoughts, she made the old story come to life in his mind.

He told her about Ered Luin, about how Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, and several other elders were the chief organizers of delving into the old Mine of Belegost from the eastern slopes. They sought entrance into the ancient halls that were destroyed ages before in the fall of Beleriand, to see if there were any salvageable remains that the Dwarves of Erebor could claim as their home. It didn't take long, delving deep into old caverns they found that while there were still ores to be mined from the mountains, the old mansions were lost. They mined the salvageable marble and stone from the old halls and built stone houses and halls into the mountainside. Over the years the old mines prospered and the mining village grew into a prosperous city. The only difference was that their homes were not sheltered within the mountain, instead peppering the slopes of the foothills and mountainside.

Rylee told him how she often visited Belegost during her third life and the treasures and sights to be found within. She told him of the people she met there and how many of the folk that lived within those halls were saved certain death because of the vision of an Elf friend. Galadriel foresaw the fall of the great city and told Durin. Durin, knowing that Galadriel was trustworthy and that her foresight was true, advised the reigning Lord of Belegost, Aurvang, to start evacuating the residents of the great city to Khazad-Dum. Thanks to Galadriel's amicable relationship with the dwarves, Rylee and Durin were able to convince Aurvang that the people should at least be given the choice. The majority of the Broadbeam clans-people, though afraid, took the advice and fled to the safety of the Misty Mountains.

Kili then told her about some of the adventures he went on with Fili, Ori, and Gloin's son, Gimli. From skipping lessons with Balin to go hunting, or tricks and pranks they played on each other. "Gimli was so mad he ran down the hill after us and took a stumble. You should have seen him Rylee, a miniature Gloin, covered in cow dung rolling arse over tea kettle down the slope. He landed face first in a bees nest. When we finally pulled him out he was covered in red sting wounds and his beard was coated in honey. He really thought there was such a thing as cow tipping!"

Rylee tried to picture a younger version of Gloin in such state and started to chuckle. "I should say that was horrible, but really it is ingenious."

"That was only the beginning," Kili laughed and continued with his story, "We had to go right through the village to get to his house, so everyone saw him and smelt him. He absolutely reeked. By the time we got him home the honey was dried and hardened, he was forced to have a bath to get the scent off of him and still the honey stayed in his beard. His mother spent hours pouring oil into it to get the mess out. His beard glistened for a week from all the oil poured into it."

"So he spent a week with a shiny beard and swollen red dots covering him?" Rylee grinned at him. "I can't imagine you got away with it."

"Of course not, we were forced to spend every day helping the farmers mending fences and reaping crops until every red welt was healed, but it was mid harvest and we felt guilty just leaving the farmers in the lurch so we helped finish up." Kili laughed and Rylee watched the way the corners of his eyes crinkled and his irises twinkled merrily. There was such life in those chocolate brown depths and Rylee felt herself consumed by her love of him. "Your turn, tell me of a prank you pulled, it has to be funny and have nothing to do with your quests."

"Oh um, well everything was in midst of a quest Kili," Rylee said with a shrug of her shoulder and Kili watched as she became reflective and quiet.

"Surely it wasn't all battles and Dragons Rylee, you had to have fun at some point," Kili pressed, she was much too mischievous to let an opportunity pass by.

"Oh there were times of fun but Kaia was the trickster. She and I would torment her father relentlessly. I only ever played one prank on anyone and that was Thranduil. I am certain that is why he hates me as much as he does." Rylee said with a small smile. "Otherwise it was Galadriel who offered up amusement and not because she would pull pranks and whatnot. She just seemed to fall into the worst predicaments. Most people would haul off and get angry but not her, she just seemed to roll with it and laugh it off."

"So how would you torment Kaia's father?" Kili asked with curiosity. He wasn't interested in hearing anything about her former betrothed and as interested as he was about her Elf friend, Rylee didn't seem comfortable going into detail about her misfortunes.

"Oh where to start?" Rylee chuckled softly as she thought back to the days where she was able to sneak away to visit the Dwarf encampment. "We put butter in his socks once and on the bottom of his boots, then watched him slip around for half an hour as he tried to get the offensive garments back off. Kaia braided his hair with chicken feathers one night when he passed out after drinking. I supplied the feathers as she braided them into his hair and beard. He woke up with this mighty white headdress and could barely lift his head off the bench he was sleeping on."

"You didn't," Kili laughed as he tried to imagine the figure from history with chicken feathers tied in his hair.

"Kaia did, I only provided the feathers. Fili looks just like him you know," Rylee admitted softly and met his surprised gaze, "the braids are different but the similarity is really shocking. So just imagine Fili with white chicken feathers completely framing his face, standing out from his head by nearly a foot in circumference."

"Incorrigible brats," Kili chuckled softly. Fili covered in chicken feathers was indeed an amusing image. "What else did you do to the poor king?"

"Hmm, let's see, we seized the joints of his armor with tar so he couldn't leave once." Rylee grinned at Kili's shocked expression, "In my defense, his armor was in horrible repair and he refused to let me fix it. So Kaia and I tarred the armor to make it unusable, he had no choice but to wear the new plated armor that I made for him. Good thing too because we saw heavy battle that day and when we returned to camp Eridith nearly had heart failure at the sight of the scrapes and scratches on the new armor. I happen to know that he nearly took a spear to the heart and his armor shed at least eight arrows, not that I would tell her that."

"There is more you are not telling me," Kili took her hand in his and started running his fingertips gently over her palms.

"Well, we once stole all of his undergarments and placed them around camp as the Company Flags. Then there was the time we traded all of his pipe-weed for common catnip," Rylee snorted as she remembered dark haired Kaia in the dark of night filching her father's long underwear and swapping the tobacco pouch without him noticing. "I think the best one was when I happened to find a sprig of Devil-weed. We were on the trail between camps. Devil-weed is so rare in North Lindon, so I just could not pass up the chance. I pressed the oils out of it and poured the oil into Durin's ale one night. Then we spent the night rolling on the floor laughing every time he tried to talk."

"So that one was all on you," Kili admonished her with a knowing grin.

"Purely spur of the moment, I swear, I could not pass up the chance to test it. Yavanna told me about the properties of Devil-weed, I just never had the chance to see it work in that form. Despite its name it is a spectacular herb for drawing off fever, curing colds, and clearing the sinuses." Rylee laughed softly as she remembered the night. Then her mirth wore away and a familiar ache set in. "That was our last prank, Kaia disappeared a week later in the ruins of Grace Gardens."

At his insistence she told him more about each of her quests and the Dragons she was meant to help kill. Including the deaths that went with them, she glossed over the deaths, not ready to deal with the pain and horror that hovered in the back of her mind. She even told him what she remembered about Scatha and how the dragon turned Fleet Took against her. It seemed to Kili that for every happy memory she had there were months of heartache and loss to go with it. Then she told him of her recent trip with Irmo and the vision he showed her. Mahal's short visit and Manwë's warning. It was late afternoon and they were walking up the path towards her home when she thought about the possibility that the darkness could consume her.

"Kili I need to confess something to you," Rylee said quietly as Kili walked her up the path. They were holding hands as they went, carrying their newly made items. "I already told Thorin this but I need to tell you too."

"What is it Rylee?" Kili asked concerned by the tone of her voice.

"The story of Ungoliant, I left out a large part of it and I need to tell you the rest." Rylee said softly. She didn't give him any time to respond, she launched right into the memory of her battle against Ungoliant and the true tale of her escape. "Kili, because of the venom that still runs in my veins, I will always be susceptible to darkness, the kind of darkness that pulls at your soul and seduces you to give up when all seems lost."

"Why do you tell me this?" Kili asked pulling her to a stop on the small path that led to her house.

"I want you to know about my weaknesses, because you are my strength. I don't understand it, how it is even possible, but it was your voice that I heard while in her web. Kili, you are my light in the darkness, I fought back for you," Rylee said as she turned towards him. It was a warm day, he was not wearing his heavy coat and most of his gear remained at the courtyard where the Company was staying. He was only wearing his layered tunics, belted to his trim form. She thought him the most handsome dwarf she ever laid eyes on. She ran her hands up his arms, feeling the hard muscles under his tunic, she stopped at his shoulders as she looked up into his dark chocolate eyes and let herself be swept away.

Kili looked down at her and met her stormy eyes. "Amrâlimê, you are the light in my life. I will protect you from anything and everything you need me to. I will stand by your side in every battle."

He met her eyes and found himself lost in pools of electric fire. Her desire was running hot as she looked up at him. Instinctively his hands wrapped her tighter against him. Her hands tightened on his shoulders and she rose on her toes to kiss him. Hard and hungry, it was the only way he could describe her kiss.

This time she was the one who insisted on taking the kiss deeper and Kili obliged willingly. They explored each other's mouths as their hands stroked, petted, and caressed through their layers of clothes. Kili fought with himself as his hands palmed her bottom and he lifted her against him. He could not take her here on a path in a small forested park in an Elven city but she was so tempting. She was as needy as he was, her hands pressing, kneading, and pulling at him in an effort to get closer. Her moans of desire mingled with his groans of frustration as they tried to temper their desire to take their passion deeper. Rylee's fingers found the strings on his tunic and she pulled at them wantonly, her fingers desperate to touch him. Kili stilled her fingers and broke the kiss, panting heavily. "We need to stop Rylee, or I will be taking you here in the forest. I promised you a bed. I will not break my promise."

She was breathing just as heavily, her lips swollen she brushed them against his collarbone. Then she buried her head in his neck and held him to her. She just needed him to be close to her. Her heart ached with the need to have him near her. She was annoyed at Thorin in that moment, taking her beloved away from her for any amount of time seemed so unfair. "I don't want today to be over, I want you to stay."

"I know Amrâlimê, but Thorin is right, I need to help with the ceremonial requirements or we will not be able to marry. Besides I will see you tonight at dinner," Kili whispered in her ear. He felt her shiver against him as she clutched him closer. "Come, we must get you home."

She reluctantly released him and let him walk her to her door. He gave her only a soft kiss on her lips before striding away from her, she watched him go. He turned back when he reached the trees, seeing her on the step watching him made his heart skip. A smile quirked her lips and he could see a light blush color her cheeks as he caught her watching him. She signed 'I love you' in Iglishmek and disappeared inside before he could respond. He chuckled softly and turned back to the path.

He was not meeting Thorin and Fili in their quarters. He was to meet them back in the Forge before they met Rylee for dinner at sunset. Kili jogged the remainder of the way back to the Armory where the others would be waiting for him and was happy to see that both Thorin and Fili had already arrived. "You have the gold, Kili?"

"Aye, it is here." Kili grinned as he pulled out his small purse of gold coins. It was all of his winnings from the bets he made on their way here. A small price to pay for a pair of wedding rings that would help him claim Rylee in the eyes of the world.

"I guess this means that I am going to need a new drinking partner to deflect those money grubbing wenches since you will be off the market," Fili joked, smacking him on the back.

"Take Gimli or Ori, "Kili replied with a grin, "They would love the attention, especially Ori."

Fili laughed at that, "Gimli would. Ori would turn pink and pass out."

"Very true," Kili chuckled remembering the last time they tried to set up the shy scribe with a wench at the tavern. The lad had a few too many and thought he had his courage up, so when Bofur brought the lass over, Ori muttered something about black stones in the sun, turned bright pink, and promptly passed out. "He still protests that he was far too drunk and it wasn't the fact that he was shy."

"Right, that's why it took him over a month to go back into the tavern." Fili scoffed shaking his head. "That still leaves me one man short for drinking partners."

"Take Nori or Bofur," Kili suggested with a sly grin, "They are both always game for drinking."

"True that, the only problem is Bofur becomes the entertainment and Nori tries to steal the purses out from the maids' skirts," Fili shook his head thinking of their colorful friends. "Neither of them are much help keeping the gold-grubbers off my back. I swear, the more I say no, the more they are on the hunt."

Thorin looked between the pair. It was always this way with them. The banter back and forth, they were such a mix of their mother and Father. Fili had Sevrin's golden hair and Dis's true blue eyes, where Kili had Dis's dark locks and Sevrin's deep brown eyes. Both shared the cheek and easy going nature of Sevrin and the will and determination of Dis. Many times through their journey Thorin was reminded of his sister and her late husband. Rylee and Kili's courtship reminded him of them in so many ways yet both couples were both very different. Regardless a Dwarf finding his One was a rare and beautiful thing.

Kili found his in Rylee. This brought Thorin's mind back to the present and the task at hand, making wedding bands for the pair. It also brought another thought to Thorin's mind regarding his nephews and their wild oats. "Did you two do as I asked and break your arrangements with your lady friends before we left Ered Luin?"

"Aye," Fili answered first. He had an arrangement with an older human widow in the village. She wanted loose companionship and Fili wanted intimacy with no expectations of marriage. He also didn't want the constant scrutiny that Kili got for sleeping with multiple partners. "I broke it off before we left. Regardless of success or failure our odds of returning to Ered Luin are slim to none. I didn't want that hanging over either of us."

"Good," Thorin nodded stiffly. He was not overly fond of the idea of his nephews taking partners outside of the Dwarf race, but he would rather Fili have this quiet affair than to drag their royal bloodline through the mud with a public debacle. Kili on the other hand was notorious for his open relationships and the lovers that he left in his wake. Not that he ever heard complaints since it was usually the dwarrowdam who broke it off when they came no closer to winning Fili. Thorin never understood how the wenches thought they could use one brother to get to the other. The pair would never and had never shared a woman. He looked at Kili and asked, "And you Kili? Will there be any surprises when the caravans start arriving? Assuming we are successful."

"Nay, my last go was several months ago." Kili shook his head and thought of the last few times he and Fili went to the tavern. He got drunk to the point of disinterest and told the birds to fly the coop. He broke it off with the last wench months ago, over a year ago when he thought about it. It was almost like he knew that someone better was coming along. Regardless, Rylee had nothing to fear from his past.

Fili looked up at him in surprise. "Not even that black haired Margot?"

"Absolutely not!" Kili sputtered just thinking of the woman. He turned bright red in humiliation. He chased Margot for months with no luck yet the moment he backed off, she was on him. She wanted the whole shebang, marriage, halls, crown, everything, as long as she could keep her other lovers and as long as he paid her for her services. "That is one poor excuse for a Dwarrowdam."

"So you finally learned the truth of her did you?" Fili chuckled softly. "I did try to warn you."

"Yes, but to think that she thought that I would bow so low as to pay for sexual favors," Kili snapped in annoyance. "Why in the name of all that is good would I pay for something that is supposed to be mutually satisfying? I would never stoop so low."

"Good to know you have your morals Kili," Thorin teased him chuckling at the lad's obvious embarrassment.

"You're the one who told us to beware the maids who want gold for your cock," Kili growled in annoyance. They always got on his case about him sleeping around, making it sound like he had been with dozens of Dwarrowdams, when the count was actually seven. Each one of those relationships spanned several months, a few of them overlapped, and one wench was the instigator of a threesome which turned into an ongoing affair. They were all empty, cold relationships that left him feeling bereft and used. "Doesn't matter I haven't been with a maid since Nika."

"But you broke that off over a year ago," Fili was shocked. "She is betrothed now."

"Aye," Kili grinned at his brother, "I set them up to get her off my back. Who knew that she would find her One in Borin?"

"So you have been with no one for over a year," Thorin stated looking at Kili skeptically. It was odd, he was certain he had seen him recently flirting with the wenches in one of the taverns in the village before they left. He heard about the Elf maid the night of their arrival.

"That is what I said. I will admit that I have flirted and chased, but when the night came to a close I changed my mind and walked away. I am sick of being used and want someone who loves me for myself." Kili growled and rolled his eyes at his uncle. He then set the gold coins into a vat for smelting and turned to get the fire up to temperature. "Rylee is my One. Now that I have caught her I will never let her go."

Rylee stepped inside her house and looked around, Rohinna was in the small kitchen brewing tea and making small meat filled rolls. She didn't even look up at Rylee before she said, "Go bathe and change, you have been requested to see Lord Elrond in the Main Library this afternoon."

"Oh? I wonder if he has found out any of the information I requested. Now that I have my memories back and a greater understanding of history, I can only make assumptions about the validity of my titles." Rylee said as she dropped into thought. Perhaps the titles were obsolete and she could have Saruman try to remove the crown, or they might give her new duties, since she was already wearing the damn thing. 'Not that it wants to come off,' Rylee thought, 'Eru knows, I've tried to remove it.' She looked back at Rohinna and continued her banter, "And you know what they say about assuming things."

"No, what do they say?" Rohinna giggled, she knew exactly what Rylee was going to say, she was just playing along.

"To assume anything makes an ass out of you and me." Rylee quipped sardonically, "'Tis why it is spelt the way it is."

She made her way up to the loft and into her room, stopping at the closet she pulled out a pair of tight leggings and a deep purple fitted sleeveless tunic that fell to just above her knees. She placed the clothes onto the bed and paired them with tall leather boots. Other than the thick sturdy leather and her personal insignia burned into the seams, the boots looked almost Elven in design. Once she was done picking her clean clothes she drifted into the bathroom and disrobed.

Rohinna was well aware that Rylee preferred her bathwater to be nearly boiling and kept the fire under the boiler for the tub as hot as she could make it. Rylee knew that on a quest like this, such luxuries were to be cherished and enjoyed, so she did. She reveled her time in the bath, she undid the elaborate braid and slipped into the hot water allowing herself to go under. Even though she was only mildly sweaty and dusty from training and working in the forge, Rylee scrubbed herself clean. When she was done, she dried off and rubbed body oil into her skin, making it feel soft and smell amazing. Like her soap, it too was made by Yavanna. It arrived in her satchel this morning with a note telling her to visit Valinor the following night. The night before her wedding. Just the thought made Rylee nervous.

She braided her hair and dressed quickly, not wanting Elrond to have to wait around on her. Surely he had better things to be doing than her bidding. She bid Rohinna good evening and headed out of the house and towards the path. Mikhaul was nowhere to be found and Rylee wondered if everything was okay. Usually the great black mare only left if Eru had need of her. Something was up and Rylee wondered if it had anything to do with Sauron and the growing darkness.

Rylee walked swiftly through the city and up to the Last Homely House. Within she took one of the many staircases up to the vast library that opened out onto a massive balcony overlooking the valley, its tall windows let in bright streams of natural light. Massive bookcases lined the walls and stood in tall lines, each one filled with books, scrolls, vessels, and artifacts of different natures. Elrond was sitting at a massive table in the center of the tall window, several large tomes covered the surface before him.

"Greetings Elrond," Rylee said from the doorway as she entered.

"Good afternoon Rylee, please come join me." Elrond smiled invitingly. He looked her up and down taking in the familiar outfit. It was one of few that was meant for times of ease and relaxation. The deep purple set fire to her dark red hair.

She seated herself in one of the tall chairs across from him and looked around, letting her curiosity take full reign as her eyes hungrily explored her surroundings. On the end of one of the massive bookshelves was a painting of a familiar face. Rylee blinked up at it, other than the fact that the clothing was much more modern in style, she swore that the elleth in the painting was Lúthien. Full lips in a gentle oval face, her arched black brows framed her entrancing grey eyes. Her black hair was pulled back into soft braids where Lúthien would always wear hers loose to amplify the powers of her cloak.

"Elrond, this," Rylee rose and walked towards the painting, her brow furrowed in confusion, "This isn't Lúthien is it? She is familiar but it is not her."

"Very astute Rylee," Elrond smiled with pride as he took in the painting of Arwen with renewed eyes. It had been years since the painting was first created. Galadriel was the one to point out the similarities between Arwen and Lúthien since Elrond never met the beautiful Elf maid of the First Age. His great grandmother Lúthien chose mortality and died with Beren, long before before he was ever born. "Galadriel said that you knew Lúthien. You are correct however, this is my daughter Arwen."

"Other than her clothes, the style of her hair, and the way she carries herself, she is almost exactly the same," Rylee breathed softly, she looked up at Elrond and smiled, "Your daughter is very beautiful Elrond, you must be very proud of her."

"I am, she is a joy to be around. It is unfortunate she missed you here, she is in Lothlórien visiting her grandparents," Elrond nodded and moved to the next column, "These are my sons, Elladan and Elrohir, I expect them to return tonight with Galadriel. They were to meet her on the trail."

Rylee looked up at the next painting. Twins, Elladan and Elrohir had their father's dark hair and the same deep grey eyes as their sister. Rylee realized that they must have inherited their mother's eyes since Elrond's were deep dark brown, nearly black. They had their father's strong jaw and straight nose, but she could see traits of Celeborn in them as well. "Very handsome, their eyes though-."

"Their mother's eyes," Elrond whispered softly and Rylee could hear the hurt within his voice. "She was waylaid by Orcs in the mountain pass. They did her great harm before the twins could get to her. I was able to heal her physically but the torment she went through-"

"Say no more Elrond," Rylee whispered as she placed her hand on his arm and looked up at him. Rylee was fully aware of what horrors Orcs could do to a body and could hear the hurt and frustration in Elrond's voice. Rylee knew that this event happened after her most recent death. For an Elf who could live forever, this event would torment Elrond forever if he allowed it.

"Celebrian sailed to Aman within the year, the memories of the torment were too much for her to bear," He told her as he put his hand over hers. Rylee didn't say anything else, it was written on her face for him to see. Whoever lifted the mask of Rúnyatári opened up a world of emotion visible in every nuance, there was no pity there, only empathy, concern, sorrow and shared grief. Rylee never even knew Celebrian and yet she mourned her departure from Middle-Earth. She would mourn her because he, Galadriel, and Celeborn did.

"You will see her again one day," Rylee smiled sadly her heart full of hope for him.

"I will," Elrond agreed as he pushed aside the deep sorrow that lived within him. He had summoned Rylee here to discuss some of her questions. Now that she had her memories back, he knew that she was aware of which of her friends survived, what happened with Scatha, the state of Middle-Earth, and who among her friends remained in the world. The only question that remained was whether she still had any responsibilities to go with the crown that she wore. "I have found the scroll that Gil-galad entrusted to me regarding your title and status."

Rylee moved back to the table and took her seat. Elrond sat across from her and took a large scroll from the pile on the table, laying it out in front of her. He opened it up and turned it for Rylee to read. She scanned through the contents quickly and frowned, then she returned to the top and started again at the beginning.

_Rúnyatári_

_Queen of Red Flame_

_It is known by all races that the presence of Aulë's Daughter, Rylee Emitheral, in Middle-Earth indicates times of darkness and war. On this date of February 12, 582 First Age of the Sun, Rylee Emitheral accepts the crown, title, and responsibilities of Rúnyatári. By decree Rúnyatári shall hold title to the armies of the races of Ilúvatar. In times of peace the title will be considered dormant and Rúnyatári will hold no sway over the peoples of Middle-Earth. Upon the rise Morgoth, his minions, or any other dark powers in the Realm of Middle-Earth, Rúnyatári shall rise to lead the armies of Ilúvatar. This edict will remain in good standing until the end of all Ages of Middle-Earth or until the natural and final death of Rylee Emitheral._

The script went on and on telling of her responsibilities. By Rylee's understanding, if the races of Men, Dwarves and Elves were to go to war against Morgoth, Sauron or any other dark creatures, she was to be the battle commander. Regardless of the status of other leaders whether they be King, Queen, Lord, Lady, or otherwise, Rylee was to be the leader of all armies, they would answer to her. As long as there was darkness in the world she was at the sway of this crown. It would never be removed.

She remembered reading these words in her third life and arguing against it. She remembered Gil-galad pleading with her to accept the responsibility, telling her that he would never follow anyone other than her into battle, if he were to choose a commander it would be her. It took him days to convince her, she was swayed by Durin and Oropher and several other leaders of Men, Dwarves and Elves. She scanned through the rest seeking some sort of loophole, some sort of escape route and found none.

Rylee whimpered and tears filled her eyes. Her stomach turned over, her heart raced and she began to shake. Bile crept up her throat and she swallowed repeatedly trying to force it back down. Rylee pressed her right hand over her mouth trying to keep herself from throwing up or screaming, she wanted to do both. She didn't want this. She did not want the responsibility of leading people to their deaths.

"I know this was not what you were hoping for," Elrond took her hand in his and she gripped his like he was a lifeline. "You chose this, whether you like it or not this is your responsibility. With luck you will never have to lead an army."

Rylee thought of all those people who died, who would yet die fighting against the darkness that plagued the world. She ripped her hand away from Elrond and both of her hands clenched into tight fists as her frustration and ire grew. Launching herself to her feet she swept away from the table and began to pace from the table to the window and back where she screamed in rage and slammed her fists into the table. "No! I don't want this! I never wanted this! I revoke my rights, I revoke my word, and I revoke all power! I want none of it! Take it away!"

Even saying those words changed nothing, the title remained. She took an oath as the daughter of the Valar, she gave her word and there was no way out of it. Rylee left the table and out onto the balcony gripping both hands on the railing with a white knuckled grip. She was here on a quest, she could feel the darkness rising in the world and this place held a false serenity that belied the truth. Rylee couldn't help but feel betrayed by the peace and quiet that surrounded her and screamed one long wail into the calm sweet smelling air, "Nooooo!"

She couldn't do it again, it nearly tore her apart the first time. She was lucky that her quest for Scatha was only about the Dragon and nothing more. This quest was about changing fates, this quest was not about the beasts, it was about darkness and saving the lives of the people she loved most in the world. How could she do that while saddled with this responsibility? How could she ask Kili to marry her knowing that she would be the one to lead armies when darkness rose? She just wanted to love him and be loved by him, nothing simpler or more difficult than that.

She heard voices behind her and turned to see Gandalf and Saruman standing at the door to the balcony with Elrond, concerned looks on their faces. Apparently her fit drew them here. She wondered momentarily where Radagast had gotten to but pushed the thought away, he had his own priorities.

"You have no responsibility in this world until war is upon us Rylee," Elrond said sagely. He and Saruman stood off to the side with concerned frowns upon their faces. "Until there is clear indication that darkness rises to power, you can focus solely on your quest at hand."

"But darkness is rising," Rylee argued heatedly, looking at the three of them. "I can feel it, it calls to me. Sauron is rising in the shadows. Mikhaul is gone and she only leaves me when Eru needs her."

"We will discuss this when the White Council is assembled." Saruman's wise voice echoed over the balcony. "The night that we assemble with Thorin about his quest and yours, we will discuss the darkness of the world. Until then you will concentrate on your wedding and regaining your strength. As per the edict, none of this matters as long as there is no war. You will only be called upon if that changes."

"Saruman is right Rylee," Elrond intoned softly, "There is no point in worrying or even discussing this until the White Council has assembled. Cirdan is not expected to arrive until this time next week."

"Speak to your family, discuss this with them," Gandalf advised her, "Both your family here in Middle-Earth and in Valinor. You must speak to them."

Rylee looked at Saruman and then at Gandalf, both of them were aware of her situation with the Valar, they were both present when it happened. They didn't know everything. Only she, Thorin, Mahal, and Eru knew what happened when she ran away. Everyone else only knew that Oromë was the one to find her, carry her broken body home and the events that transpired after that. She met their eyes and tried to tell them silently that she was trying to make amends, but she would do it on her own terms and at her own time.

"You should join the Company now Rylee," Gandalf told her taking her hand and leading her out of the vast library.

Rylee wandered the streets in contemplation until sunset. She didn't see the cobblestones under her feet, or the vines and flowers that grew over everything and lined the pathways through the city. When she finally arrived at the balcony where the Company was residing her mood was unchanged. She was still frustrated and angry. Kili took one look at her and joined her, pulling her to the side and leading her into a small shadowed alcove.

"What is it?" Kili whispered in the darkness, taking both of her hands in his.

"My title still stands," Rylee whispered hoarsely, swallowing hard, "If darkness rises and there is to be a war in Middle-Earth, I will have to lead the races of Ilúvatar into battle. In times of war I command all of the armies, my word trumps all other reigning commanders. I would have power over Kings. I would have power over Thorin, Galadriel, even Elrond. I don't want it Kili. I don't want this. If I don't want it, how can I ask you-?"

Kili looked down at Rylee, the pain and fear on her face was visible in the taut corners of her mouth, her pursed lips, and her wide moist eyes. She was in agony over this, and he knew what she was asking him. She was giving him the chance to walk away from her, the choice to stand beside her. He knew that she would accept whatever decision he gave her.

"I stand with you Rylee, if it comes down to it I will go to war with you," Kili pulled her into his arms, holding her close and she began to shake. He could feel her crying into his shoulder, clutching him tightly to her. "Until the end of time Rylee, I will be with you."

"It is not fair of me to ask it of you Kili," Rylee said softly, her voice muffled in the cloth of his tunic. "When I accepted this title, I was alone and I never thought that I would find you."

"But you have found me and I don't care about your crown," Kili soothed her stroking his fingers up and down her spine, massaging away the tension in her shoulders and back. "I already told you, I love you for you, Amrâlimê. I will take you and keep you in every form you have, including Rúnyatári."

She quieted and relaxed against him, her grip around him eased, contented to remain in his embrace. He was warmth, light, and love. He soothed her soul and gave her hope. She looked into his eyes and lifted her hands to his face, lovingly stroking his cheeks and letting her fingernails feather into his shorn beard. "You are perfect for me Kili, never change. Everything about you, I love."

"Everything?" Kili looked down at her, his joy at feeling her hands on his face was consuming as he met her gaze.

"Everything," She nodded meeting his eyes, "Your hair, the way it falls in your face and in your eyes makes me want to thread it through my fingers. Your beard shorn to honor your mastery of archery, drives me to distraction, it defines your face and focuses on your lips which I want to kiss. Your eyes are like dark pools, I fall into you every time I meet your gaze. Kili, I could go on all night. In my eyes you are perfection and I wonder if those other maids were blind or just plain stupid. I don't care though, because they let you go, I can keep you as mine."

Kili kissed her hard, claiming her mouth with his, delving into her as though she was his life source. She met him with equal passion, her tongue entwining with his, stroke for stroke she joined with him. He cradled her face in his hands as she did the same to him, a soft whimper came from her throat as she pressed closer against him. Every time they touched it was like being consumed by desire, he needed her so completely, but she was not his, not yet. He pulled away and growled softly, "In exactly two days I will make you mine Rylee."

"These are the three longest days of my life Kili," her voice was soft and husky with lust.

"Are you two done yet or should we postpone dinner?" Fili teased them standing just outside the alcove. The bright light glinted off of his golden hair making his braids shine like a halo. Rylee snorted derisively; there was nothing remotely holy about Fili, the cheeky brat.

"By all means Fili, if you are willing to wait for us, I would be willing to make you." Rylee teased in return, her eyebrow quirked, "The problem is that I am certain that you would be willing to watch, while I do not want an audience."

"Ouch," Fili clutched his hands over his heart in mock hurt and chuckled. "I am hurt that you think me so immature that I would want to watch, but then Mikhaul did show me your beautiful legs, which those leggings show off stunningly by the way. Makes me wonder what other treasure you are hiding."

"Fili, if you want to keep your golden tongue, you will stop talking," Kili warned softly, "Mikhaul should never have shown you that."

"You are right, she shouldn't have," Fili chuckled at the sudden jealousy that flashed across Kili's face, "A man should never have to see his little sister in such a state. Come on you two, the Company awaits."

Fili walked away leaving them both staring after him. Rylee looked up at Kili and smirked, "I am not certain if I want to hit him, hug him, or pull his hair."

"I vote to pull his hair," Kili grinned down at her mischievously. He took her hand and pulled her after him and onto the balcony to join the Company.

"I heard that," Fili called back to them as he made his way to Thorin's side.

"Good," Rylee said sweetly, "You have been forewarned."

"Are you all right Rylee?" Bilbo asked her softly, "I heard you screaming earlier today."

"Aye, I am fine, I just got some shoddy news," Rylee told him quietly. She refused to think about it again. There was no war at the moment and that meant that she had no responsibility other than that which was bestowed on her by the Valar.

"Which we will deal with together, when or if need be," Kili agreed as he took a seat on his bench, pulling Rylee into her place on his lap.

Moments later Rylee was handed a bowl of stew. She should have realized something was amiss when she noticed that it was only half full. She should have figured out something was up when Kili was given his own bowl and she should have caught on when the company seemed to collectively wait on baited breath for her to eat. She was off in her own thoughts, not paying much attention to what was happening around her. So when Bofur asked her why she seemed so far away, her own answer startled her as much as it did Kili and Thorin.

"What?" she croaked. Rylee blinked, her voice didn't feel hoarse or cracked, her throat felt soothed and her sinuses open. She could breathe clearly. Rylee tried again and it came out as a squeak, high pitched and mouse like, "What?"

The company roared with laughter and Rylee's hands rose to grip her throat. She looked at them and then down at her empty bowl of stew. She blinked and looked up at Kili, his eyes wide with concern but bright with amusement.

"What did you do?" Rylee's voice dropped, lower than Dwalin's. Upon hearing it she started to laugh. Her laugh came out a hoarse witchy cackle which made her laugh harder. When she spoke again it was soft and whispery, like a nymph, "Oh goodness! Devil-weed! Where did you come across Devil-weed?"

"In the tunnel on the way here Lass," Bofur grinned his eyes crinkling mischievously, "We decided we had to get you back for the Fire Wine."

"The Fire Wine?" Her voice flattened into a burly timbre and then rose to a song with her following sentence, "But that wasn't even a prank! I just wanted to hear your reaction!"

"Indeed," A graceful voice broke through the laughter of the company, silence fell and as one the company turned to look at the tall blonde Elven woman standing before them, "In all of my years I have only ever known Rylee to pull one true prank and even then it was on the spur of the moment. I have never known her to retaliate either. Rylee doesn't think that way. Kaia was the prankster."

Rylee chuckled her voice a high tinkling laugh, she rose to greet her friend, "Galadriel, mellon nin! You are as beautiful as always."

"And you, Rylee Emitheral, other than the effects of Devil-weed you are unchanged," Galadriel took both of Rylee's hands in hers. "That will wear off in a few hours."

"I do remember, it was Devil-weed that grew in the caverns, wasn't it?" Rylee's voice came out nasal and whiney. She snorted and started to laugh all over again as did the company.

"It was your flame that nulled the effect. It is unfortunate that it is in your system, it will take time to wear off." Galadriel nodded with a grin, "Will you introduce me to your friends?"

"Of course," Rylee said her voice once again a low bass, "Galadriel, Lady of Lothlórien allow me to introduce you to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield."

They were practically rolling on the floor laughing at the changes in pitch in Rylee's voice. With every breath she took her voice came out different and each voice seemed to be at odds with her intended expression or words. Even Galadriel laughed as Rylee's voice went through the different ranges and modulations. The spectrum of sound created by the Devil-weed was astounding, and hearing it come from the feisty War Maiden made the entire situation that much more amusing.

"This is my intended Kili." Rylee whispered as her voice rose back up to a song and Kili winked at her. He turned his attention to the beautiful Elf maiden in front of him and gave a short bow.

"Kili, at your service," Kili said smiling up at her, before turning his gaze back to Rylee. Her face was flushed with embarrassment, but she was laughing at herself as her voice changed from one pitch to the next. The Elf was beautiful but no one would ever compare to Rylee, at least not for him.

"I see why she loves you," Galadriel smiled at Rylee and then at Kili, then back again, "You only have eyes for her."

"You are the elleth that Rylee admires. She told me that you warned Durin of the destruction of Belegost," Kili smiled at her, remembering what Rylee told him about this very dear friend. "Your vision saved thousands of Dwarves in the War of Wrath. I thank you for that."

"You are most welcome," Galadriel nodded and her lips quirked up into a small smile. Rylee was doing what she always did. She was smoothing things between the races, she was easing them into trusting her. Galadriel watched Rylee carefully and realized that the Dwarrowdam didn't even know she was doing it, it was just her nature.

"His brother Fili," Rylee moved to Fili who like his brother gave Galadriel a half bow. His cheeky grin played at his lips and Galadriel blinked for a moment and looked at Rylee who grinned knowingly. She followed Rylee around the room as the Dwarrowdam introduced each of the dwarves, her voice changing pitch and inflection with every name, making herself and the others laugh every time she opened her mouth. Galadriel followed, offering each a smile and taking each Dwarf's hand in her own in greeting. Rylee finally stepped up to the leaders of the Company, her voice a squealing high pitch as she made the final introductions, "Dwalin, Balin and finally my Adad, Thorin Oakenshield."

"It is a pleasure," Galadriel smiled serenely offering her hand to each Dwarf. Balin was stunned into taking her hand and bowing, offering his service. Never in all his years had any Elf greeted him in such a personal and pleasant way. Usually Elves looked upon Dwarves with distaste. Dwalin too was nearly speechless and Thorin had to elbow him to snap him out of the trance he seemed to have fallen into. After Dwalin greeted the stunning Elf Maiden properly Thorin stood there stiffly under her scrutiny.

"Thorin, King of Durin's Folk, guardian of Rylee Emitheral, I take pleasure in finally putting a face to the name that Rylee spoke of. I am Galadriel, Lady of Lothlórien."

Thorin looked up at the Elven Lady of Lothlórien, she was stunningly beautiful. In fact every set of Dwarven eyes minus one were trained on her lovely visage. She was tall, taller than any woman of man that Thorin ever met, her hair was wrought of waves of gold and silver, that fell around her to her waist. Her skin was as pale as alabaster and yet she wore a healthy flush that seemed to make her glow. Her lips were soft and turned up into the softest of smiles, her nose was straight and fine. Her eyes under fine arched brows were the truest of blues and they were kindly.

Thorin never liked elves and mistrusted their ethereal beauty, for such lies and deception could come from them. He knew this well, because Thranduil was fine of grace and form, and never had Thorin met a creature more capable of duplicity. This lady though, her entire aura called for him to stand at attention and to hear her words. "Well met, Lady Galadriel. Rylee has spoken to you of me?"

"She has, I have known her since her first days in Doriath, during her first life," Galadriel told him softly, "I have never met a more valiant warrior, a wise queen, or a better friend than she. She once told me that the best things she learned about humanity and life came from you. It is because of these words that I am going to impart with you my knowledge."

"And what knowledge is that?" Thorin said feeling rather humbled by Rylee's praise of him.

"Every race is capable of dishonesty and prejudice," Galadriel told him softly, her voice was low for his ears only, "Sometimes we must accept assistance from those we do not trust in order to go forward on our path and often we must forgive those who have wronged us, in the end we must all stand together if we are to truly overcome the darkness within."

"And why would you impart me this, My Lady?" Thorin asked his defenses slowly starting to rise. Rylee took his hand and squeezed gently, he looked down at her and she met his gaze.

"You know why, Thorin Oakenshield." Galadriel whispered, looking between the pair. Her honesty was brutal, but she knew that he had to hear it from her. "Greed is a dark thing, your line carries something much darker, but fear not for Rylee will unearth the cure."

"You have seen this," Thorin stated, his eyes widening as he remembered what Kili said about her vision saving the Dwarves of Belegost. Her sacrifice in the First Age saved thousands of his people.

"I have seen many things in my time," Galadriel pulled away from him and looked back at Rylee who was smiling between her and Thorin.

"Thank you for your words, My Lady," Thorin bowed stiffly in acknowledgement. He was not sure he could trust the tall blonde Elf witch but Rylee did. He could see it written in every nuance on Rylee's face. It was something he would consider.

Galadriel turned to Rylee and asked with a mischievous smile, "You should tell them about your prank on Thranduil."

Bofur and Nori sat up straighter with blatant curiosity. "You must tell us now, Rylee. Even your friend insists that you tell us."

"Oh, I don't know," Rylee trilled, then groaned and rolled her eyes, "This voice is going to make the whole thing so much worse!"

"More amusing I would imagine," Thorin snorted, "Thranduil has no sense of humor as far as I have ever seen."

"That is an understatement," Rylee scoffed her voice matched his baritone. "I nearly fell over the first time I ever saw him smile."

Galadriel laughed at that. It was true. Thranduil was not an Elf keen on amusement. Everything was a serious matter as far as he was concerned. Rylee's prank on him set the stage for their very rocky relationship. "I do believe it was your prank and his reaction that made Oropher so adamant that you marry. He was certain you would be good for his son and he would be good for you."

"Shows how much he knew. Thranduil and I never got along. He was so somber and stuffy, not an ounce of humor in him that I could find. He was so methodical and precise with everything, so much so that he had a daily routine that he followed to a tee." Rylee snickered to herself as she remembered what she did, with every breath her voice changed, every sentence was different. She barely even set up her tale and already the dwarves were rolling on the floor and even Galadriel was holding her sides in tides of laughter. "Each morning at breakfast he would have Strawberry jam on his biscuits and a cup of tea, after four weeks of watching him follow this exact routine I could not stand it anymore. I just happened to be in the kitchens serving my own breakfast of roasted ham and eggs, with pancakes and thick syrup when I spied his tray. The jam was sitting right there and so was the open jar of spicy fire pepper jam. The cook was out of the room and the maids were occupied gathering other things for Oropher and Nialiwen."

"So what you swapped them? How could he not notice?" Kili chuckled softly, liking where this prank was going.

"Swap them? Nay that would be too obvious." Rylee grinned, her voice switching between low and manly and back up to feminine and girly. Neither voice suited Rylee, which made the company laugh all the louder and Galadriel snort quietly beside Rylee. Rylee looked around but no one seemed to notice the elleth's snort of mirth. "I took a huge spoonful of fire pepper jelly and mixed it into the jam and stirred it really well, so that the chunks of pepper looked no different from the strawberries. Then I placed the strawberry jam jar back on his tray for the maids to take to him. I put my fire jelly jar on my tray, picked it up and carried it into the dining pavilion and joined the others. I ate fairly quickly. I was expected to leave for Gondolin that morning so no one thought anything of my need to rush. Thranduil's tray arrived in front of him within minutes of him joining us and about five minutes before I finished my meal."

"What did he do?" Kili could not imagine pulling off a trick like that in front of someone's parents, no matter how much he disliked them.

"Well, when he spooned his jam onto his biscuit I bumped his arm so that twice his usual amount fell onto it." Rylee laughed in remembrance, her laugh tweaked mid-chortle from high and tinkling to a husky rasp and then to a low chime, "He took two bites before he noticed the sudden growing heat on his tongue, by the third bite he was sweating bullets. I turned to him and said with a completely straight face, 'Thranduil, you look good with color in your cheeks, whatever you are doing you should keep it up.' He glared at me something fierce and grabbed the biscuit off my plate and accused me of swapping our jelly and popped the last bite into his mouth."

"So he ate fire pepper jam thinking it was strawberry jam?" Bofur was snorting and guffawing loudly along with the others trying to imagine this stuffy Elf suffering from the effects of the Jelly. Everyone knew what Fire Peppers tasted like. There was a drinking game that all Dwarves encountered at least once where all participants ate a Fire Pepper and tried to keep from drinking their ale. The Dwarf to last the longest would win. Making the peppers into Jam only amplified the flavor.

"I did try to stop him." Rylee's voice pitched from a deep bass to a sultry pout making Ori hoot in mirth.

"She truly did, she went so far as to grab his arm and try to take her biscuit back, warning him that hers was truly Fire Pepper Jelly, but he just didn't want to listen to her." Galadriel said laughing and wiping tears from her eyes. "He barely even finished chewing before he was screaming for the maids to bring him some milk. Thingol and Melian, Myself and Celeborn, Durin and an envoy of each of the seven kingdoms was in attendance. Every one of us was laughing at the spectacle, including Oropher. I think the only person not laughing was Nialiwen and even then she was holding back."

"Thranduil couldn't say a word against me with everyone there and could only concede that I had indeed pulled a fine prank. Especially considering that I did try to stop him from taking my biscuit," Rylee grinned at the memory of her one and only prank, "I thanked him for being a good sport, even though he was glaring at me quite fiercely. Then I winked at him, excused myself from the table and walked out of the dining pavilion. When I looked back he had tears streaming down his face and was downing a massive glass of milk."

"Were you punished for that?" Ori asked her with his eyes wide.

"Courting him for four years was punishment enough Ori," Rylee said as her voice went from a high pitched squeak, cracked, and broke back into a low bass. She sounded like a monster. Everyone on the balcony roared with laughter, their mirth echoed through the halls of the main house and into the night air.


	24. Blast From the Past

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Chapter 24

Blast from the Past

June 10

It was the third courting day, and they started once again in the training field. Both were using their bows, Kili was hitting the target time after time, while Rylee's arrows were still turning to the right. She was receiving odd glances from the elves that were training nearby, especially when they noticed that her form rivaled their own.

She drew yet another arrow and pulled back on the bowstring, feeling the flex of the bow, she pulled past the sweet spot and tried to clear her mind. It was impossible, the same thoughts kept stirring up and bothering her, setting her at unease. "Kili?"

"Yes, Love?" Kili lowered his bow and joined Rylee. He gently caressed her face, feeling the need to touch her in some way. They both agreed that she had to learn to shoot without his distractions, Kili was trying to teach her to clear her mind of all thought, so she waited until he stepped back before she released the arrow. Whatever was bothering her was taking up a large portion of her attention because the arrow just narrowly missed the target.

"What will your mother think of this? I mean, we are to be married tomorrow and she is not here," Rylee said feeling more than a little distressed. She felt guilty, not for wanting to be married as quickly as possible, but because they were missing a very important member of his family. It felt wrong to her. "Are we rushing this? We don't have her blessing, she will hate me for that alone, much less for stealing her youngest son from her."

"She will not hate you," Kili told her as he turned her to look at him, he hated the distress that he heard in her voice. "If anything my mother will be thrilled at the idea of having a daughter and you are not stealing me away Rylee, I fully intend to take you home."

"Home?" Rylee looked up at him in question. Home was such an absurd concept to her. She never had a home, a place of her own. Not since leaving Aman. Only Mahal's Mansions felt like home to her, having spent her childhood within those bright fiery halls. For seven years she had been away from that place and in her heart she knew that while it was the home of her childhood, it was no longer her place. While in Middle-Earth she was always on a quest of some sort, rarely staying in one place for long. It was a distant dream to have a place of her own to call home.

"Yes Rylee, home." Kili whispered softly in her ear. He brushed his fingers from her forehead to her chin, loving the way she moved into his touch, and the soft sigh she released in response. He kissed her gently, it was chaste and quick. Knowing that they were being watched, he kept it short, even though he wanted to find a private place where he could ravish her. "I have made two promises on this quest, other than taking you in a bed, and I intend to keep both of them."

"And what are those?" Rylee asked meeting his gaze. She felt breathless as she looked into his dark eyes, she faintly wondered if this feeling would last forever, she hoped so because he made her feel alive.

"I promised to fulfill your wishes, I swear to you I will," Kili watched as her eyes went wide, her breath caught and she went still.

"Hmm, I love your determination Kili," Rylee said as she pulled him against her in a quick hug.

"If I was truly determined, Rylee, I would find a place where we could be alone," Kili whispered in her ear, he smirked as he felt an answering shiver run through her. He could feel it wherever he touched her. "I love that unfocused, lusty look on your face. If I could, I would make certain you wore it all the time."

"Oh!" Rylee blushed from head to toe, and stepped away from him, breaking contact. She blinked up at him, trying to stop her mind from whirling and he dropped a quick kiss on her lips, "You are driving me to madness Kili."

"Imagine if we were following our current customs and had to wait the customary year, and prepare for a full Royal Wedding Ceremony," Kili teased her gently.

"Y-Year? You wait a year?" Rylee's eyes went wide in shock, she met his eyes and he nodded seriously, "As much as I want your mother to be there, I think I much prefer the customs of the First Age. If I have to wait longer than the mandatory three days, I will go out of my mind!"

"If it eases your mind, we can hold another ceremony later to honor my mother. Once we take back Erebor and fulfill our quests we can hold a true celebration." Kili suggested with a chuckle, silently agreeing with her preference for the First Age customs.

"I would like that," Rylee smiled, feeling greatly relieved. "So what was your other promise? You said you made two?"

"I promised my mother I would return to her," Kili said as he reached into his pocket, pulling out his rune stone. He held out his hand to place it into her hand, Rylee offered her palm and he dropped the dark oval stone onto her pale hand. "She gave me a rune stone so I would not forget."

"Innikh dê," Rylee gasped at the contact, her electric eyes sparking brightly at what she felt from the stone. Kili watched her in fascination as she responded to the Runes written into the talisman. Her energy flared, he could feel it, then she spoke in the blood magic language and he automatically felt the love as it was absorbed into the stone and the sentiment of her words, "Valar blessed, make it so."

Her response to the stone was automatic. She could not control the power as it flowed through her. Rylee held out the stone, still reveling in the profound love she felt emanating from within it. Years had passed since she felt such a love as what was in the stone. It was something that she was missing and had missed for a very long time. It was powerful and it was beautiful. Rylee handed it back to Kili and it crackled to life as he took it from her palm, the runes lit momentarily before returning to normal. Kili looked up at her in surprise as he felt the emotions captured within the polished surface, "I can feel her now, like she is here with us."

"That's never happened before. It just happened Kili, it was a natural response to the love that you and your mother already imbued upon the stone," Rylee said softly, afraid to meet his eyes.

"You blessed it. You didn't have to do that Rylee." Kili grinned at her and her eyes flicked up to meet his.

"Thorin's going to-," She looked at him in desperation as Thorin's voice interrupted.

"What the hell was that Rylee Emitheral?" Thorin hollered at her. "Everyone in the training field felt that!"

" – kill me," She finished sadly, looking up at Thorin as he and Fili approached. Concern covered both of their faces. "I don't know, I felt the love emanating from the stone and the power came up, filling it, and -"

Kili showed Fili the stone, just as he had done many times over the past weeks whenever Kili was missing his home or thinking of his mother. Fili took it from Kili's hand and his eyes lit up, a grin cracked his face, and he chuckled softly. Feeling the warmth of his mother, her generous spirit and energy as it wrapped around him. He held it out for his uncle to take, "She blessed it, Thorin."

Thorin held the stone in the palm of his hand and sure enough he could feel Dis, her spirit, her life, and her encompassing love. All of it was there spilling from the stone and into his spirit. It was like Dis was with them, embracing them. He looked up at Rylee. Her face was pale and she was looking at the stone with awe, wonder, and no small amount of confusion.

"What brought this on, Rylee? Why the sudden use of magic?" Thorin asked his voice softened, gentle as he handed her the stone. He placed it in her palm and light radiated out of the runes, her eyes closed and she smiled softly.

"It has been a long time since I have felt such an emotion," Rylee whispered as she let the comforting emotion fill her and wash over her. She felt Dis's affection for Kili and Kili's devotion to his mother, "It feels like - ."

"Like what?" Kili asked after Rylee stopped short, closing her mouth as though trying to swallow a secret.

"Like these," Rylee said as she pulled her hair forward, she pressed two of the Vala beads into Kili's hand.

"Who are they from?" Kili asked as he held the power filled beads in his hands. He could feel the same attachments, the same devotion, the same comfort coming from within the beads.

"Yavanna and Nienna," Rylee whispered as tears filled her eyes. "I wish you could meet them Kili. They would love you."

"As I am certain my mother will love you, Rylee," Kili whispered as he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.

"Did Kili tell you what he told Mother when she gave him that talisman?" Fili asked her quietly, and Rylee shook her head from within the sanctuary of Kili's embrace. "Kili told her that he would bring home a bride."

"He didn't," Thorin looked on in amusement, a small smirk lifting his lips. Fili just nodded and Kili offered up a cheeky grin. "What did Dis say to that?"

"She told him not to bother unless the lass had as much fire within her as he does." Fili said with a grin, meeting Thorin's eyes. Thorin started to laugh and Rylee raised her head and looked at Fili in surprise, then she met Kili's eyes. "Kili as usual overreached and intends to marry a maid born in fire."

"You will keep your promise to your mother, Kili," Rylee said as she pressed the stone into Kili's hand, wrapping her fingers around his as she closed them both around the talisman. "You will return to her."

"Well of course!" Kili grinned down at her, and then he kissed her on the nose. "I have every intention of keeping both of my promises."

"Rylee!" A scream filled the air. Rylee froze in Kili's arms and he looked down at her with concern. He watched as a spectrum of emotions flitted across her face; shock, sadness, anger, fear, and finally confusion. She met Kili's eyes and shook her head slowly, mouthing the words, 'It's not possible.' She turned in his arms to look in the direction of the scream and she immediately began to shake.

"What is it Rylee? Who are they?" Kili asked her quietly, "Do you know them?"

"Yes but, No. Well. Yes I know them, but it's not possible." Rylee said as her heart pounded in her head. She knew fully well that it was possible, she was living proof that it was possible. It just didn't make sense to her and at that moment she just could not seem to cope with the sudden shock of it. "They are dead. Vanished and Balrog."

Thorin and Fili stepped closer, protectively, upon seeing fear on Rylee's face. It was an emotion that he never thought Rylee would ever show, and yet somehow she was fearful of these two people. One was a tall blonde elf, he wore a black uniform of the guards and a thick black cloak, both of which were dusty and dirty from travel. The other was a short blonde dwarrowdam who was struggling to free herself from the blonde elf's grasp.

"Rylee, you are not making any sense," Fili said from in front of her. His voice was filled with concern, in over five weeks he had never seen Rylee act like this, it worried him. He was watching the newcomers carefully. The little Dwarrowdam was certainly feisty as she fought hard against the Elf.

Rylee grabbed hold of the black diamond rose from her tunic and gripped it tight, whispering a small prayer, "Eru, please, help me understand."

"Rylee!" The Dwarrowdam screamed from the Elf's grip, "Let me go Glorfindel! Let me go! That's Rylee!"

"Rylee's gone Jovina, she died fighting Scatha!" Glorfindel hollered back at the Dwarrowdam as he fought to hold her back from molesting the braided girl in the field. Rylee never wore her hair like that, even if she did look a lot like her.

"Let go of me you over tall pointy eared pontificator! That is my ward! Rylee! Rylee!" Jovina yelled kicking him hard in the shins. Rylee wasn't sure whether to be amused or to have a heart attack. Both felt like viable options at that moment.

"Jovina," Rylee whispered as she watched the blond Dwarrowdam. She was wearing thick shapeless black robes that made her look like a lump of coal. Daeron had her by the back of her robe and the woman ducked and allowed the robe to be stripped from her form. She spun and ran towards Rylee. Kili pulled Rylee behind him seconds before she would have been tackled by the female dwarf. Rylee peaked over Kili's shoulder and watched the other female carefully for a moment.

"Who are you?" Jovina asked shortly.

"I could ask you the same thing," Kili countered gruffly. Rylee put her hand on his arm and he looked down at her, but Rylee was studying the Dwarrowdam, the furrow on her brow slowly eased as she took in the ragged Dwarf woman.

"I felt your magic! I felt it and I knew I was in the right place, it took me weeks to get here!" Jovina cried out trying to reach for Rylee only to be stopped by Thorin. "Mahal told me you would be here!"

"You're dead," Rylee whispered hoarsely looking from Jovina to Glorfindel who came up behind Jovina, putting his hand gently onto her shoulder. "Both of you. I saw Jovina vanish in dragon fire and a Balrog drag you off of a cliff. I saw you die!"

"You rode a dragon to its doom the same day," Glorfindel said with a small smirk.

"But the Balrog! You fought on the cliff, you killed it and it fell but it grabbed you and pulled you with it. I saw you fall. I saw you die!" Rylee shook her head trying to think about what happened and what was happening now. She turned to Jovina surveying her, but purposely not meeting her eyes. She was a Dwarrowdam of the First Age, there was no way she could still be alive. She stumbled over her words as she continued, "When? When-, how? How are you here? What happened to you? You disappeared, you were there and then you were gone. The dragon attacked and you were there and then in the flame you were gone, I saw you vanish."

"I was placed into sleep, Mahal told me that my life was bound to yours, I would not be woken until the time was right. I woke up in a Dwarrow Hall many miles south of here. I had to fight off Orcs and Wargs to get to you." Jovina said with excitement, she pulled away and looked into Rylee's shocked electric eyes.

"To that I would say that the Valar has a use for us all. I was re-embodied in the Halls of Awaiting and the Valar sent me back to Middle-Earth." Glorfindel chuckled softly, ignoring the protective scowls of both Fili and Thorin as he and Jovina both stepped forward. "Emitheral, you of all people should be the least shocked."

"And yet it is a terrible shock!" Rylee snapped stepping out from behind Kili. Then she blushed heavily realizing that her words could be taken as an insult. They were not meant to be. "No! Not that I am not happy to see you alive Glorfindel, or you Jovina, it's just, well, just-"

"A terrible shock," Glorfindel beamed at her, enjoying her momentary embarrassment. It was hard to shake Rylee Emitheral, this was just too perfect an opportunity to miss. "Imagine mine upon seeing a short-life Dwarrowdam from the First Age fighting off Orcs while I was on patrol."

"I would imagine you were as stunned as I am now," Rylee whispered trying to choke back a flood of emotion. It wasn't like she and Glorfindel were friends, it was just they were comrades. She fought beside him, saw him die, and she had mourned his death.

"Maybe half as stunned, since there are two of us to surprise you," The tall blonde Elf Lord quipped sardonically. He offered her his hand in a warrior's clasp and she took it, gripping his forearm before giving him a hearty smack on his shoulder.

"Rylee, I see you have become reacquainted with Glorfindel," Galadriel said as she strode up to greet them followed by a pair of dark haired twins to follow in her wake. Rylee recognized them from the painting in the Library the day before. "We were pleased to have him returned to us at the behest of the Valar, he did great service during the War of the Last Alliance. Glorfindel, Elrond wishes to speak with you once you are done here. I will take care of your charge."

"So be it Lady Galadriel," Glorfindel bowed and departed quickly in the direction of the great house.

"Rylee Emitheral, Thorin, Fili, Kili, and Jovina," Galadriel said as an introduction to her grandsons. "I would like to introduce you to Elrond's sons, Elladan and Elrohir."

Rylee bowed before them and smiled, "Well met Elladan and Elrohir."

"It is our pleasure Runyatari, Thorin, Fili, Kili ,and Jovina," said the one Galadriel called Elladan. He offered his hand to Thorin, Fili, and Kili in turn before dropping a quick kiss on Jovina's knuckles.

"You and your company have had quite the adventure thus far Thorin Oakenshield. It may one day pass into legend and song." Elrohir spoke second, and followed his brother's greeting taking each introduction personally, "We have heard a great many things about you Emitheral."

"As well as many great things," Elladan jested looking at the bow that Rylee still held in her hands. "Including the sore luck you have with the bow."

Elrohir rolled his eyes at his brother, "Are you trying to change its course? Father said it always turned to the right."

"Aye, you are correct it does," Rylee grinned watching the banter between the brothers. "Unless Kili distracts me, then I hit the target dead on every time."

"Really?" The twins said in unison.

"We would love to see that," Elladan said with a grin.

"But we have to meet a company of travelers coming from the north." Elrohir continued his sentence. Rylee was reminded of Fili and Kili when they got going together. It must be a brother thing, or maybe just something that close siblings did with each other. "The Dunedain and their secret weapon arrive tonight."

"Come on brother," Elladan said turning away from them, "I have not seen Kalyna for years!"

"Coming!" Elrohir looked back at Rylee and grinned, "It is an honor meeting you. All of you. Hopefully we will be back for your wedding tomorrow."

The twins took off toward the stables and Galadriel chuckled. "You would never guess that the pair of them are a couple thousand years old. They are still so youthful despite what they have seen in their lives."

"They remind me of Elrond and Elros," Rylee laughed and turned back to Jovina who was staring boldly at her. Jovina grabbed her face and held her still and Rylee tried to pull away but she wasn't fast enough. "Jovina!"

"Rylee, I see into the depths of your soul," Jovina said her black eyes grew wide and if possible even darker.

"Please Jovina, this is a horrible idea," Rylee argued trying in vain to break the connection.

"Kind and giving, she cares deeply and loves with her whole heart. She has confidence in herself and her abilities but still wants only to prove her worth in the eyes of her betters. She carries the guilt of one who has seen the greatest horrors of darkness and was powerless to stop it. She worries that she will fail in her quest and that she will bring hardship to you all." Jovina began to slur, but neither woman blinked or moved a muscle. Still Jovina carried on, "She has failed her people before and she is afraid that she will do so again. Darkness follows her. It hunts her and stalks her. It wants to use her." There was a hitch in Jovina's breath, and her eyes began to droop, while Rylee began to stiffen. Thorin could see weakness in both of them, "She fights the essence of her soul because she fears the darkness that lies within her heart."

"I think that is enough," Thorin said softly, as he watched both Rylee and Jovina began to pale as Jovina delved deeper and deeper into Rylee's mind. He was unsure what to do and he looked up at the Elf woman, who wore a look of deep concern.

"Fili, step between them on my mark, Thorin, Kili, be prepared to catch them," Galadriel ordered, her voice was stern and commanding. "Now!"

On Galadriel's signal Fili stepped between the two Dwarrowdams. Kili caught Rylee as she swayed, her grey eyes seemed almost washed out as she blinked up at him. Jovina swayed as well, her eyes blinking slowly and a small trickle of blood came from her nose. Thorin caught her as she collapsed.

"Rylee's power is immense, she will be hard to train," Jovina whispered softly, her voice was so low that only Thorin was able to hear her. She went limp as she fell unconscious. Thorin swept her legs over his other arm and picked her up. She was light within his arms, a small curvaceous dwarrowdam. Her light blond braid trailed behind them as he carried her unconscious body in his arms.

"Hurry we must get them to the Healing Halls," Galadriel ordered as she led the way, her stride long and hurried.

Kili and Thorin carried the small dwarf women off field to the healer's chambers where Galadriel was already gathering cold compresses and smelling salts. They placed Rylee and Jovina onto the cots and stepped back to let Galadriel work.

Galadriel took charge, working with the healers to get the two Dwarrowdams back on their feet. It didn't take much for Rylee, she was merely exhausted and had a headache and needed nourishment, much to the relief of Kili and the others. "I cannot believe you two did this again, you should know better Rylee. You nearly killed her last time."

"I didn't want to Galadriel," Rylee whispered worry coloring her voice. "You know her. I have never met a more stubborn dwarf than she."

"Are you certain she didn't hurt you," Kili said protectively, looking into Rylee's eyes, trying to see if she would lie to him.

"Of course not Kili, Jovina would never harm me," Rylee said quietly. She looked up at him as tears filled her eyes, "I harm her more than she will ever harm me."

"Why is that, Rylee?" Fili asked her as Rylee sat up on her cot, reaching for Kili.

"Because of my powers, I can see through glamour and I can block the magic of others. Jovina's magic allows her to see into a person's soul, she can see a person's aura." Rylee said softly, warily as she looked up at Dwalin, "Just by blocking her powers, I can easily kill Jovina."

"You would never kill Jovina though," Kili said softly rubbing her back soothingly, he kissed her forehead as he watched the guilt flash across her face. "You tried to stop her."

"Jovina is a power unto herself," Galadriel agreed, looking down at her charge as she worked over her, trying to raise the Dwarrowdam's energy. "While I can see into the future and the past, Jovina can see into the soul and see a person's path. Rylee's soul is not like ours, it is vast, immense, and impossible to read. I have tried to see Rylee's path but there are too many paths to see."

"Aye, so many people think that she is some sort of conjurer but she is not, she is truly a seer," Rylee whispered, a sob catching in her throat, "She can see directly into the soul of others and I learned a great deal from her during the short time together about controlling my magic."

"How is that even possible Rylee?" Thorin asked turning towards her from Jovina's bedside.

"My magic is different from what we thought it was. Ilúvatar feels that it is best I learn from Jovina," Rylee told him as she wiped away her tears and steadied her voice, "I thought it was simple blood and fire magic but when I met Jovina, she did a soul search and this happened. We were lucky that Galadriel was there to break the spell and wake Jovina up."

"Why can she teach you and no one else?" Fili asked from beside Kili, he looked at Rylee with a concerned expression. "Why can't Gandalf, Saruman, or Lady Galadriel."

"Because I have searched both her soul and her essence," Jovina whispered from her bed, making everyone turn in her direction, "I have seen her potential. I can guide her to use it."

"I would admonish you Jovina, if I knew that you would listen. Stubborn Dwarrowdam that you are, you never do. Did you learn anything new?" Galadriel asked as she handed Jovina a cold cloth and Jovina pressed it over her sinuses smiling up at the elleth.

"The Valar have called it the Language of Light, and she can control three types of flame." Jovina said looking at Rylee across the room. "She will need to learn all three in order to complete her quest. I am delighted to see you again Galadriel."

"And I you, mellon nin," Galadriel smiled down at the Dwarf woman as she grabbed a glass of water. She stirred in several herbs before handing it to Jovina to drink, which she did without question. "When I didn't find you in the tunnels and with the other survivors of Gondolin I thought the worst, until I recently saw you on a path. We all mourned you."

"It was either death by dragon or sleeping until Rylee needed me again," Jovina smiled sadly looking from Galadriel to Rylee and back again, "I chose the latter, Rylee needs me to help her find her potential. Her power is immense, if she doesn't learn to use it properly it will kill her."

"Who have you told of this Rylee?" Thorin asked quietly.

"No one," Rylee whispered, looking down at her feet, "I have told no one. Only Jovina knew of my potential. Manwë told me of it when I visited Valinor with Irmo."

"That has to stop now," Jovina said from her cot, "You will need to train daily and openly, if you are to have any control over your magic."

Thorin looked between the three women, an Elf, a Dwarf, and the Daughter of Mahal. By their friendly banter, they knew each other quite well. He recalled how the Elf had ingratiated herself into their company the night before, melding in with them. By the end of the evening most of his Company was in her thrall.

"I have to agree with Jovina," Galadriel said thoughtfully, looking at Rylee and then at Thorin. "The more training Rylee has, the better her chances are at success in this endeavor of yours."

"And what would you know of it?" Thorin asked as his defenses rose. He had not yet shared his map or the knowledge of the key, he had not even spoken of the Lonely Mountain.

"I have seen your path, as I have seen the paths of many others. Your journey will end in doom if you do not heed Jovina's advice," Galadriel told him. Then she looked over at Rylee, "I only came to inform you that Rohinna is planning your Last Night, you are to meet me in the Main Gardens at sunset. I will need your help gathering what we need. Try not to be late?"

"Right," Rylee nodded and met her gaze.

"You may get up now Jovina, but do not use your powers on Rylee again," Galadriel smiled at the blonde dwarrowdam. "I would hate to lose you so soon after just seeing you returned to us. You will come to Rylee's Last Night, we will be holding it at the House of Aulë."

"Last night?" Jovina said in surprise as she sat up, looking over at Rylee. She seemed thinner than she remembered, but then Rylee always lost weight when she worked in the forge for any length of time. Her eyes landed on her face and hair. "Rylee Emitheral you are wearing a braid! Eru's braid! Who is he? Show me him who holds your heart."

Kili helped Rylee from her cot and they moved together to Jovina's side. Galadriel slipped out of the room silently with a small smile on her face, only Rylee noticed her leave. Galadriel was not one to say goodbye or farewell. She entered every room with grace and left on a breeze, most people never even realized she was gone until her presence was no more. Not knowing what else to do with this odd turn of events, Rylee started to make introductions, "Kili, this is Jovina. Jovina, this is Kili, my One."

Rylee and Kili offered their hands to help Jovina down from the cot and once she was standing, looked down at the petite dwarrowdam. She was a few inches shorter than Rylee, her bright blonde hair was braided back from her face in a singular long plait that fell to her knees. She wore thick brown breaches, a long green silk tunic that was elaborately embroidered along the cuffs and hems, and a heavy red leather corset that accentuated her wide hips, her narrow waist, and her bountiful bosom. Her nose was small for a dwarf and her brows were thin and finely arched. It was her eyes that caught him though. Dark as night, not a single other color in them. He could almost feel her reaching into him and examining his spirit from the inside out.

"Let me look at you lad," Jovina said standing square to him, sizing him up, her black eyes looked right through him. It was like she was searching his soul. "Hmm, yes, I see it. Mahal is right about you, I think your fire is a match to hers. A skilled warrior, you match her in ability and are just as reckless. You will do."

She bowed before him and Kili returned the favor saying, "Shamukh, ra galikh ai-mâ Jovina."

"He has manners as well!" Jovina quipped and looked at Rylee with a grin, "Hail, and well met Kili."

"Thorin, Fili," Rylee said turning to the others who were watching with blatant curiosity, "It is my honor to introduce you to Jovina Malagnûna. She was of the Blacklocks clan and was my hostess during my first and second quests until her disappearance during the Fall of Gondolin. She is from the First Age."

Fili stepped forward beside his brother and bowed to the woman and met her eyes, offering a smile, and repeated the same greeting as his brother, "Shamukh, ra galikh ai-mâ Jovina."

"Hail, and well met to you as well young warrior," Jovina bowed to Fili turning her appraising eyes on him. After a moment she said, "Other than the obvious kinship with Durin you are well bred, arrogant in the ways of one who knows his place, yet not unkind with an open heart and a bright smile. Mischievous and cunning you are a hearty and courageous warrior, you look out for these two, you feel it is your duty. Rylee cares deeply for you."

"Does she now?" Fili grinned widely, flicking his eyes to Rylee who was standing beside her friend watching with a great deal of curiosity and excitement, "I care greatly for her as well."

"I can see that," Jovina nodded giving him a friendly smile, showing her even white teeth.

Thorin stepped up offering his hand to the Dwarrowdam, and was hit by the hardest stare he ever encountered. Her eyes were blacker than the darkest coal, it was like falling into a void, there was nothing to distinguish her pupil from her iris and it looked like she could see right through him. Her eyes were framed by thick pale eyelashes and fine thinly arched brows. Her thick blonde hair was plaited back and away from her heart shaped face. She had a small cherub's nose and a cupid's bow mouth. Only the fine soft waves of her long silky sideburns were kept out of her main braid and those she had plaited and woven with green jewels. She was not beautiful in the sense that Rylee was, but she was stunning nonetheless.

"Thorin, son of Thrain, at your service my lady," Thorin said respectfully, she placed both of her hands in his and he kissed her knuckles on each one before lowering and releasing them.

"Hail and well met Thorin," Jovina said softly, her voice was barely above a whisper as she looked up at the dark haired Heir of Erebor. His blue eyes were like glacial pools as he met her gaze unrelenting, and she immediately knew that this was the man who taught Rylee. The nuances and stature and bearing were all the same. There was a darkness in his soul, and it was at war with the bright searing light that was within him. He was a very troubled spirit, this was the one Rylee would have to save if she wanted to save the others. She wanted to know more about him and Rylee and her betrothed gave her the perfect means to do just that.

"It seems that I have interrupted Rylee's courting day, I cannot take up her time as it belongs to her beloved. Would you be so kind as to escort me to this Lord Elrond character? I need to see him regarding my accommodations. Along the way, you can tell me what has transpired since Rylee has arrived."

"Of course, come this way, my lady," Thorin nodded and looked at Rylee and Kili who were both looking at each other with stunned expressions. "I will see you tonight Kili. Rylee, I will see you tomorrow evening."

"Good day Thorin. Jovina, be kind," Rylee met the woman's eyes before turning back to Kili. She missed the amused grin that brightened Jovina's face and the confused look that Thorin gave her. Rylee whispered to Kili, "She is unrelenting when she wants information and she sees everything. Never roll your eyes at her and don't bother keeping secrets. She is like a ferret with a piece of meat."

"I heard that Rylee!" Jovina called as she walked away.

"'Tis the truth Jovina," Rylee called back, there was warmth in her voice, but there was also caution and worry. Kili looked at Rylee and she gave him a small smile. "She is wonderful, really, it's just that she can see through people and sometimes she speaks without thought. She can come off as brutally unkind. She is not I swear it, Jovina is the most caring woman I have ever met."

"I believe you Rylee," Kili assured her gently, he wondered what this woman's arrival meant for their quest, surely Rylee would not want Jovina to be left behind.

Thorin and Jovina were silent as they walked together towards the main house where Lord Elrond would be found. Neither seemed to be sure how to start a conversation with the other. Thorin wondered how on earth this woman came to be in their time. She was a friend of Rylee's, someone that she trusted with her life. Thorin should be grateful to her for that alone, but for some reason he did not trust her or at least he was unwilling to trust her until he had proof that she was trustworthy, Dwarrowdam or not.

"You have darkness in your soul Thorin Oakenshield, it clouds your judgment and causes you to distrust those who would give you peace," Jovina said quietly, she was tumbling the information over and over again in her tired mind. "Rylee hopes to rid you of that darkness but you will fight her, even though you love her dearly. If she is to save the others, she will need to save you first."

For many days she travelled to arrive in Rivendell, for many days she fought the horrors of the open road. Jovina hated to travel. She was not fond of leaving the safety of her home and much preferred to keep to herself since she rarely enjoyed the company of others. Meeting new people was tiring and often heartbreaking, she could see into their souls and most people had one direct path, monotonous boring lives. Others like Thorin, his nephews, and Rylee, had several paths. It was people like them, the adventurers that made her life both interesting and exhausting.

"What could you possibly know of me, Miss Jovina, we have never met before," Thorin said as his defenses rose at her words.

"You prove my point," Jovina replied cryptically, as they walked side by side down the cobbled path towards a massive house that stood at the edge of the plateau. "You do not trust Galadriel, an Elf maiden who has proven herself loyal to the people of Mahal again and again. Not just for Rylee's sake either."

"I heard that she sent warning about the fall of Beleriand to the Dwarves of Belegost," Thorin said gruffly, he didn't see what the point of this was. He didn't see why he should trust one elleth when everything he knew of elves was in direct contradiction of what he knew of her.

"So Beleriand fell," Jovina said quietly. She was introspective for a long moment before she continued, "That was not what I was talking about. After Rylee left to kill Glaurung, Galadriel had a vision. It foretold that Doriath was going to be betrayed by the Nogrod Dwarves. This was not a surprise to me since Rylee never trusted the emissaries of Nogrod from the first day. Galadriel's vision foretold of a great betrayal, that the dwarves would do harm to King Thingol and their betrayal would lead to the massacre of a sea of Nogrod Dwarves. She feared that there would be repercussions on the innocent Dwarves of Belegost. Durin, Eridith, and I went to Belegost to tell of her warning."

"When we arrived there we found that a large exodus of Nogrod Dwarves found shelter in Belegost for fear that their King was becoming too greedy and violent. Telchar and Gamil Zirak were the leaders of these people, they told us a horrid tale of how the King of Nogrod was turning away from the teachings of Mahal. Our warning only confirmed what they already feared," Jovina continued on meeting Thorin's gaze upon occasion, "It came to pass just as Galadriel foretold. The Lord of Belegost received a request for troops to aid in the war against Doriath and the Lord denied the King of Nogrod, telling them that they were on their own, he even tried to dissuade the King, but to no avail. When the Elves and Ents came to the gates we were able to convince them that the Nogrod acted on their own and that we were still allies of those against Morgoth. Because of Galadriel's warning thousands of innocent dwarves were able to make it to the safety of Khazad-Dum. Only Warriors, Smiths, and a few others remained behind to help our allies in the fight against Morgoth. I was one of the few who stayed."

"So you are saying that I would be wise to trust Galadriel, when in my own experience I have found elves to be creatures of duplicity," Thorin scoffed shaking his head, trying to deny what he was hearing. He remembered the old tales. One of the few halls in the old caverns of Belegost that was not destroyed by the sea was the Hall of Records. Within it were journals depicting tales of Rylee's battles, the treachery of the Nogrod, the bitter feud it started, and the sacrifices of an Elf maiden that was known to send word of her visions. Her name was smudged beyond recognition, but the description of the Elf maiden's beauty was intact and it suited Galadriel to perfection. Thorin shook the thoughts away, 'It could not be her. Could it?' "I do not think it would be wise to go against my own instincts on this matter."

"I can see into you, your aura, and your spirit. You have many paths to take and yet you always choose the darkest one. What will it take for Rylee to open your eyes to the path of the light?" Jovina asked cryptically.

"Rylee has her own darkness to deal with, she should not be so troubled with mine," Thorin said brushing off the woman's words. He was no darker than the daylight. Who did she think she was to make such judgments about him?

"She is stronger than you are, wiser," Jovina scoffed at him and as Thorin opened his mouth to protest she continued, "and you know it, so don't dare argue about it. Now tell me of your journey, and don't bother with the secrets and underhanded manipulations you princes and kings are so fond of. My father was a king, I can see right through them."

"I am not telling you of our quest," Thorin growled at her, shooting her a dark look. "I do not know you and as much as I trust Rylee, I do not trust you."

"I care not of your quest, I want to know of your journey," Jovina waved him off as though the quest was of no importance to her. "I am here for Rylee and Rylee alone. If I am to assist her in her quest, I need to know of her journey since she arrived. As her Ugshar, you are the best person to tell me what she has seen and done."

"How do you know I am her Ugshar?" Thorin asked with surprise.

"She told me of you and the words you told her," Jovina told him shooting him a glance, she did not miss the pain in his eyes as he remembered the words he told the girl. "Regardless of what you said, she loves you dearly and every day she tries to prove herself in your eyes."

"She has nothing to prove," Thorin said quietly, as they walked along, he noticed that she did not use her staff as a walking stick as many who wielded the weapons were wont to do. She carried it as though always at the ready, in case of attack. "If I were to have had children, I would raise them to be like her."

"You think it is too late?" Jovina asked quietly, he sounded like he thought he was near the grave, and spoke like a dead man. Bloody kings and their 'duty before life' way of doing things!

"I am 195 years old," Thorin chuckled quietly, "Even if I were to meet my One, I am beyond the years of raising children. I would much more enjoy seeing my nephews raise families of their own. Rylee would make a great mother, just as she will make a great princess of Erebor one day."

Jovina looked at him thoughtfully. She herself could not have children, but seeing Rylee with a child of her own would bring her the greatest joy. "Aye, she just needs guidance and a steady hand, which you have. Now tell me of your journey."

"She arrived in the Shire, in the Hobbit Hole of Mr. Baggins, Mahal dropped her into Kili's lap," Thorin began the tale of their journey from the shire, telling her all that he knew of Rylee's journey so far. Not realizing that he was also coloring the tale from his own perspective.

Jovina heard it as a tale of an uncle and mentor watching two of his charges fall hard and fast in love. She heard the wonder and fear and frustration as he told her of Rylee's magic and her and Kili's battle with the cold drake. He told her of the horrible dreams that plagued her and the constant use of fire to cleanse the darkness away. She was more than aware that there would be a great deal of information left out. From the closeness she saw between Rylee and Kili, there were many secrets between them. Jovina didn't need to know their romance; she needed to know their trials. Thorin was more aware of the darkness hunting Rylee than he would normally have let on. The hunting that Rylee did on a daily basis was just a taste of what was to come.

"You said that you were here for her," Thorin said when he was done with his account of their journey. He had included everything to the moment Jovina arrived. So Jovina knew all of what he did of Rylee's quest and who she was meant to save. "You are meant to assist her on her quest, which means that you are meant to help myself and my nephews. If Rylee has not yet seen what is to come, how are you to help her?"

"I am to help her learn to control her magic, without control she will not be able to unleash the power that lies within her, or focus it into the Star of Ilúvatar when the time comes." Jovina told him. She was well aware of his dislike of Rylee's use of magic, not only had the girl told her about it, but she heard it in his tone when he spoke of it.

"The Star is missing, it was stolen long ago," Thorin said with no shortage of anger in his voice. He knew that the star was important and it still angered him that Rylee was rendered weak enough for it to be stolen from her. "The suitor I told you about, his father took it while Rylee was unconscious. He gave it to his son as a token of her acceptance for the suit."

"Then we must find it and restore it to Rylee, without the Star of Ilúvatar there is no hope of saving any of you," Jovina snapped with indignation. "Until then I have much to teach her."

"It is the use of magic that steals her energy," Thorin argued with her, worrying about the danger to Rylee, "You will make her weaker by teaching her."

"I will strengthen her by teaching her, her magic is like an unused muscle, the less she uses it the more it will hurt her to use it." Jovina snapped in argument, "If you want her to become stronger, then she will need to learn to wield her power and not fear it. To do that she must use her magic every day."

"I will not allow you to harm her," Thorin turned on the woman beside him, "She is dear to me, I will not see her weakened."

"I only want to give her strength Thorin," Jovina shook her head and took Thorin's hand in her own, "She has the Strength of Tulkas, the Creativity of Mahal, the Grace of Nienna and the Light of Varda. She is as strong as a Maia, but she needs to be trained. If you wish her to succeed in her quest, so that you can succeed in yours, then you must allow for her to learn to control and wield this power."

Thorin looked down at his large hand, held gently in her smaller ones, one on each side of his hand. He met her eyes and could feel himself being pulled into the all consuming blackness of her all seeing eyes. It was disconcerting. "Whatever you intend will have to wait until after her honeymoon days with Kili. I will not have their time marred by anyone, for any purpose. The pair deserves some happiness."

"On this we agree," Jovina nodded, releasing Thorin's hand and turning back to the road before them. Thorin resumed walking, escorting her into the massive building and to the great study where he knew that Lord Elrond would be working in. To his surprise, Gandalf and Saruman were also inside and it seemed that they were all expecting Jovina.

"Thorin, Jovina, come in, come in!" Gandalf said with a smile. "Lord Elrond, Saruman, I am pleased to introduce you to Princess Jovina Malagnûna of the Blacklocks clan of dwarves from the First Age."

"I am sorry, but do I know you, wizard?" Jovina glowered up at the grey wizard trying to meet his crystal blue eyes.

"Not in this life, I am afraid, you do know me by another face and another name," Gandalf said sagely there was something familiar in his eyes, and it took her a moment to find it. "In this life I am called Gandalf."

"Maia Olorin, you have placed your soul in an Istari body, I should have known." Jovina said with a half smile. She turned to the other wizard and met his gaze, his Ebony eyes met her own and they both made assessments as to what they saw within. When she spoke her voice was cryptic if not a little cold, "Have a care Saruman, such a fall will cause pain to those who hold you dear."

The white wizard looked down at the small Dwarrowdam, there was power within her. It was not a magic like his own, but she did have clear sight, she could see what others could not. He wondered if there was something coming in his future that he needed to be aware of, if there was an injury or some other fortune to come, that he would receive such a cryptic warning from her.

"Glorfindel told me of your arrival, Princess Jovina," Lord Elrond looked down at her appraisingly, meeting her dark eyes. They both were quiet for a long moment before Jovina nodded in acceptance.

"It is just Jovina. I have long disowned my father and his people." Jovina said shortly, shooting him a dark look. Thorin had to stop himself from chucking at the pair of them. They were at a stand-off, Jovina may have disowned her family, but she had not lost any of the regal poise that was bred into those of noble birth. "Now I do believe that we have much to discuss about the Orcs that are coming up from the south. There is a horde there in a dwarven mine, great massive beasts, along with Wargs, trolls, and other beasts. They are desecrating the wondrous halls of Khazad-dûm. Durin would roll in his grave if he knew what was happening to his home."

"Orcs have resided in Moria for quite some time now, what of it?" Saruman said, looking ready to dismiss her claim outright, but Gandalf looked ever more intrigued and disgruntled.

"When I woke, I was inside the mines," Jovina declared looking from face to face, "Those Orcs look as though they are preparing for war. They leave in groups, heading out the east gate. I did hear them say where they were going but I am unsure of the name, they were speaking the Black Speech and I am not familiar with more than a few words."

"This is foul news indeed," Gandalf said with his brow furrowed in frustration.

"Of course it is foul, Orcs are never pleasant. I had to slay scores of them to get here and even then the paths were quite treacherous. It took me several weeks. By my guess it was the end of April when I first woke and it is now mid June!" Jovina told them.

"What purpose are you here for Miss Jovina?" Gandalf asked her quietly, "What purpose would the Valar have in putting you to sleep in Moria? Why would they wake you now? It has been over six thousand years since you were last seen."

"I am here for Rylee, my fate is tied to hers," Jovina stated the obvious truth. She looked at Thorin for a long moment before turning her all seeing black eyes to Gandalf. "Mahal told me that I was to help her learn to wield her magic, it is the only way that she is going to succeed in her quest."

"So you will be joining the Company when they are ready to depart?" Gandalf said with a knowing nod of his head.

Thorin stiffened, since when was he omitted from discussions of this nature? It was his company, he should be the first consulted and others should not be included without his express permission. He grit his teeth and said nothing for the moment.

"If that is where I need to be at the time, then yes," Jovina nodded succinctly. She noticed that Gandalf was thinking deeply about what she told him about the Orcs. She would need to talk to him privately later. There was something greater happening in this age than a simple quest. Something much darker. "My path may lead away from Rylee when required, but ultimately it is tied to hers."

"I see," Gandalf said quietly.

"Very well then Miss Jovina, I will have a room prepared for you for the duration of your stay," Lord Elrond told her with a polite nod, calling for one of the hand maids that were nearby. "Please prepare a room near the Company's quarters for Miss Jovina, and I am certain that after several weeks on the road she would like a bath, food, and some clean clothes while hers are cleaned and mended."

"Yes My Lord Elrond, Please come this way miss," The maid said with a shallow bow, leading the way out of the study. Jovina looked at the girl but did not yet follow.

"Thorin, is everything prepared for the wedding tomorrow?" Gandalf asked as Thorin was about to turn to leave.

"Aye, the ceremony will take place tomorrow at twilight as planned," Thorin met the grey wizard's eyes, then he turned to Jovina as she made her way to the door. "I will walk with you Miss Jovina, if you will give me but a moment?"

"Why thank you Thorin," Jovina smiled and waited at the door for him to catch up.

Thorin turned to Lord Elrond, Saruman, and Gandalf, he knew that Rylee would not be able to ask her questions for several days. "Rylee informed us that her titles still stand. Is it wise to maintain such a hold over her when she is so obviously unhappy with the accord?"

"It is unfortunate but the edict was written with magic, her crown cannot be removed until the terms have been fulfilled," Lord Elrond nodded, his voice somber and quiet. "If I could change this for her, I would, but she is bound to her oath. If war rises against darkness in Middle-Earth she will be summoned to lead her people."

"Aye, very unfortunate," Thorin said gruffly looking up at the Elf. "I understand why they chose her, she is quite capable, but she is much more vulnerable than even she will admit. She is lucky to have friends who are willing to stand behind her regardless of their race or their beginnings."

"You are quite right, Thorin Oakenshield. Rylee's praise of you seems to be quite justified."Elrond smiled down at the Dwarf King, "But I was under the impression that you do not look fondly upon the Firstborn of Ilúvatar."

"I am finding that not all Elves are like their kin to the east. My god-daughter seems to have chosen her friends well, and I trust her judgment." Thorin conceded quietly, giving Jovina a sidelong glance. Rylee was friends with Elrond and Galadriel. Thus far neither of them gave him any reason to doubt their word. Though he held Galadriel in a better place than Lord Elrond, she at least had both Rylee and Jovina to vouch for her. Her deeds in the First Age were a factor as well, if he had to admit it.

"It is interesting you should say that," Lord Elrond said with a smirk, "Celeborn said much the same about Dwarves once. He told me once that Rylee would stay far and clear from the Emissary from Nogrod and when he asked her why she simply said, 'Durin's folk may seem uncouth and unpolished, but they are gentle souls within hard, strong stone forms. Then there are those who are made of stone, within and without, those are from Nogrod.' Rylee trusted Durin's folk and the Dwarves of Belegost above all others, but according to Celeborn she never trusted the Dwarves from Nogrod. Galadriel had a vision that confirmed what Rylee felt."

"I heard about that, it was thanks to Lady Galadriel that the people of Belegost were able to escape harm not once, but twice," Thorin nodded at the Elf Lord. He didn't need to hear the tale again, but it was nice to hear that Rylee commanded the respect of both Elves and Dwarves. He wondered if she commanded the same respect of Men. "I will take my leave now, we will be holding Kili's last night at the winery this evening, you are all invited to join us if you wish."

"We will be in meeting for much of the evening, but we will join you after that," Gandalf smiled with an amused glimmer in his eyes.

Thorin frowned but nodded in thanks and then turned away. He joined Jovina at the door and took her arm, they followed the Elf maid down the hall. He waited until they were well on their way, before he turned to Jovina with a thoughtful look and said, "Jovina, would you by chance be interested in participating in the ceremony tomorrow? I was going to ask Elihara to step up for Rylee, but it seems that she is tied to you and it would be more fitting that you step up for her."

"I would be honored, Thorin," Jovina smiled brightly and Thorin blinked at her. Her face lit up from within, and he could not believe the radiance of it.

"Very well," Thorin said with a slight nod as they continued down the corridor, "Now that that is taken care of, we can get on with our day. Miss Jovina, once you are shown to your quarters, would you like me to introduce you to the remainder of the company? I can escort you to the House of Mahal when the Company is ready to go to the Winery."

"That might be wise, if I am to be part of the wedding tomorrow," Jovina said with a smile, turning to follow the maid, "And perhaps we should discuss my joining the Company, since you are not comfortable with my presence as of yet and do not wish me to accompany you."

"You are not coming," Thorin said quietly, "It has been difficult enough with Rylee, and she is a War Maiden of The Valar. The last thing the Company needs is another Dwarrowdam to watch over, one who is not trained by the Valar to fight Dragons, much less."

"I knew you would say that," Jovina said with a soft smile, "Has it been difficult because she hunts the very darkness that chases her? Or is it because she is a daughter to you and you do not wish to see her come to harm?"

"Of course I do not want to see her come to harm, Dwarrowdams are rare and precious." Thorin shot her a dark look, taking in her bright blonde hair and her fathomless black eyes. "I do not know what it was like in the First Age, but in this Age Dwarves outnumber Dwarrowdams three to one. We protect our women fiercely. Having Rylee with us has nearly driven Kili to distraction. We are not accustomed to our Dwarrowdams purposely putting themselves in harm's way."

"Times have most definitely changed. You are much more respectful of your Dwarrowdams in this Age than in the First. Regardless, I will be joining you along the road Thorin," Jovina stated, she said it as though it was a certainty and as though it was a long decided end. "I may not leave Rivendell with you, but I will be accompanying Rylee to where ever she needs to go. It is my quest."

Thorin decided to let the argument go, there was no point, she was not leaving with them. He could not allow another Dwarrowdam to endanger herself on this quest. It was enough that Rylee was with them and she was trained for this life. He could not argue with her presence amongst the company. This Seer however, he could leave her in the safety of Rivendell.

* * *

><p>Kili took Rylee to Elihara and Elorin's for a private afternoon that he arranged for Rylee. Elihara and Elorin were being entertained in the courtyard of the dwarves, such attachments were being made between the Company and the couple that there was talk of them joining the Company. Unfortunately Elorin and Elihara had responsibilities and obligations that prevented them from doing so. If anything they were considering moving there once Erebor was reclaimed. This bothered Elorin, he felt it wrong to not be there to aid his new friends when they needed as many allies as they could get. Thorin waved it off saying that they had come this far with just sixteen members. The fewer numbers, the better to confuse the dragon who would be expecting a full army. Still, the couple promised to follow the company as soon as they could.<p>

Meanwhile, Kili wanted to prove to Rylee that she should not worry about the fact she could not cook, so he arranged with Elihara to have the use of her kitchen for the evening. He would have used the kitchen in the House of Mahal, but it was forbidden for Kili to enter Rylee's home before the wedding. Normally the bride would join her husband in the home he created for them, but since they were on the road, and the only home available was the one built in honor of Mahal, they had to improvise. The day of the wedding, the house would be cleaned and prepared for the married couple. It would be blessed by the elves in the name of Mahal, the maker of dwarves, to be used as a place of binding union until the couple could build their own home together.

"Why are we in a kitchen Kili?" Rylee asked, warily looking around as he escorted her to a chair at the table. Her eyes were big when she took in the clean countertops and the large work surface. She stared at the massive cast iron stove and oven set with a look of horror, "You know how I feel about kitchens and cooking."

"That is why you will be sitting there enjoying a cup of tea and my company while I make you dinner." Kili said as he gently pushed her into the cushioned chair, dropping a kiss on her nose once she was seated. "You do not have to lift a finger if you don't want to."

"You are going to cook for me Kili?" Rylee asked softly, her eyes wide, a soft smile lifting her lips.

"Well yes, it seems to be the one thing that you are most concerned about. You seem terrified about the idea that we will starve, I want to assure you that we won't." Kili chuckled as he set to work getting the fire in the stove up to the right temperature. He could feel her eyes on him as he worked and when he turned he found her watching with bright curious eyes. For someone who said she didn't like to cook, she was certainly interested in what he was doing so he asked, "Are you certain you don't want to help?"

She shook her head vigorously, "The moment I go near a fire it reacts to me. I can't control low temperatures, I just have control over the high temperatures which is why I can use a forge but not an oven."

"You know that cooking isn't all about the stove and fire right?" Kili quirked his brow at her and watched her face as it crinkled in confusion. "Rylee, there is a lot of preparation in cooking that has nothing to do with the fire or the stove."

"It's boring, I hate sitting in one spot, peeling potatoes or measuring out every ingredient and it takes so long! Then the moment it's time to cook it, poof! Disaster strikes." Rylee rolled her eyes at him, they fell into silence as he worked. He still felt her eyes on him and still she watched him as he began to prepare the vegetables; slicing potatoes, onions, carrots, and other root vegetables, piling everything into a heavy roasting pan as he went, "You didn't peel the potatoes. You just scrubbed them! The carrots too! I thought you had to peel them!"

"Most of the flavor is in the peels Rylee, why take them off when they taste good?" Kili smirked at her. He looked up and she was out of her chair, leaning over the work space, watching intently. He poured in a small amount of water and several pinches of spices as he went.

"How do you know what spices go together? You don't even have a recipe book. Don't you have to measure them out? Surely you can't just put in a pinch of everything and expect it to taste good." Rylee said as she picked up each of the spice containers, reading them and smelling them then setting them aside. She picked up the pepper and fell into a bout of sneezing as she took a tentative sniff. Kili could not help but laugh at her until she picked up the end of a carrot and hit him in the forehead with it.

He looked up in surprise and saw a look of half annoyance and half mischief. Kili dropped his knife and went after her, she ran and he chased her around the kitchen and into the formal seating area that lay beyond the dining room. He finally caught her against a lounging chair, tickling her until she was begging him for forgiveness. Tears were streaming down her face, "Please Kili, no more!"

He realized that he had her pinned under him on the lounge chair, her curvaceous body trapped between his legs, his hands still caressed her ribs. The deep red of her hair was spread around them like flames against the dark fabric beneath her. Her breath came in uneven gasps, her electric eyes were bright with white sparks. The temptation she offered was intense. He cleared his throat and moved off of her, his voice was strained as he whispered, "For that you have to help me. Come on Rylee, into the kitchen."

"But what if I mess it up?" Rylee asked dragging her feet as he pulled her after him.

"You won't," Kili said as he pulled her up to the countertop. He placed a heavy lid onto the roasting pan and carried it to the oven, once it was in he turned back to Rylee who was looking at the oven like it was some great terrifying beast or monster. "You don't have to go anywhere near the stove Rylee, I won't make you do that."

"Promise?" Rylee asked him, her face was serious and almost sad. "I don't want to burn down Elihara's kitchen."

"I promise, you're just going to help me prepare the meat cuts Bombur gave us." Kili said seriously. He pulled her into his arms and ran his hands up and down her back. Massaging and soothing away the tension that he could feel in her. He could tell that she had a great fear of the destruction that she could cause with her fire. "And perhaps you can help me mix up some pan biscuits. The only person going near the stove or oven will be me. Okay?"

"Okay," She whispered leaning into him. He had her help tenderize and season the meat, telling her about which spices complimented each other. She asked him dozens of questions, about spices, preparation, properly cutting and dressing the meat. She relaxed as they worked at the block table together, only stiffening when he checked on the roasting vegetables.

When they made the pan biscuits he had Rylee stir and sure enough she got flour everywhere until he showed her a technique that worked. She helped him cut the dough and put it into the pans so he could cook them. When it finally came down to the actual cooking of the meat and the pan biscuits, she retreated back into her seat with a fresh cup of tea, content to just watch him as he worked. The moment Kili mentioned that the meat was almost done Rylee jumped out of her seat and started setting the small table for the two of them. She didn't want him to have to do all the work, and she felt better knowing that she could help in the small ways.

When they were finally settled together with their meal in front of them, Kili was suddenly nervous. He knew that Rylee loved food, she always enjoyed the food that Bombur made, and he was a skilled cook. Kili only knew what his mother taught him. It wasn't until after Rylee's first few bites that he relaxed. Her hums of appreciation and her obvious appetite eased his mind. "Hmm, Kili, don't ever tell Bombur, but I think I prefer your cooking. It is so good!"

"That's not fair to Bombur since you have only ever had his travelling fare but if you are handing out compliments I will take happily take them," Kili grinned at her and she smiled back. That was a very high compliment and he wondered if she was just saying it to be kind. "So what happened when you were cooking, how did you burn down Nienna's kitchen?"

"Well the first time we were simply making scrambled eggs, I was cracking the eggs into the pan and the flames just shot up to meet my hands. I didn't really notice until Nienna screamed and threw water on me and the stove, but the grease in the pan splattered onto the wall behind the stove and the flames went up the wall," Rylee smiled sheepishly, "Mahal had to build her a new kitchen."

"And the second time?" Kili chuckled softly.

"Ooo, well that time she was teaching me to make dinner rolls. As you saw earlier, the flour was everywhere and I mean everywhere. I was coated, the table, the floor, even Nienna was covered in flour by the time we had the rolls placed onto the pan." Rylee blushed deeply before she plunged on. These were probably her most embarrassing stories of her childhood, but Kili wanted to know so she pushed on. She had learned long ago to laugh at them. "I opened the oven door and placed the pan on the rack and the fire just exploded out. It was a massive fireball, I was afire and the buns turned to rock almost immediately before they turned slowly to ash. The flour on the floor and on the counters smoldered slowly and it stank to high heaven. Nienna just barely escaped the blaze and had to use her powers to stop the flames. Oromë was in the area and seeing the smoke, came to help. He took one look at the pair of us and called me Ashes, 'cause I was coated in them and Nienna, Snowdrop, since she was still covered in flour. We were both mortified!"

"I take it Mahal had to rebuild the kitchen again?" Kili was laughing at her, not even trying to keep his face straight.

"He did," Rylee smiled shyly, chuckling softly. "The third time we-"

"Wait, you burned down her kitchen three times?" Kili's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Rylee snorted and lowered her eyes. She never told anyone these stories, she would tell people that she could not cook or take jibes at herself and make jokes about it, but no one ever really believed her about how bad it really was. "Nienna's three times and Yavanna's once."

"Oh Rylee," Kili grinned, sighed, and shook his head in commiseration.

"Yeah, yeah," Rylee waved off his pity and grinned at him. He would be the one cooking for them, as long as he cooked they wouldn't have to worry about her burning down their kitchen. "So, the third time I was making a turkey-"

"Why did she make it harder? You couldn't even make eggs!" Kili looked at her thinking she was pulling his leg, but her eyes were wide open, her cheeks flushed in humiliation. She looked down at her plate. She took a bite, chewed, and swallowed before she answered him.

"Because I wanted turkey for dinner?" She said softly, her voice innocent and sweet. He thought for a moment that she was upset, since her shoulders were shaking softly, but then she snorted and started to giggle softly. She met his eyes and they were sparkling with merriment, "Nienna wasn't there and I wanted to surprise her. Everything went okay until I went to put it in the oven. I thought I had the fire under control. I was using my magic and controlling the flame. I closed the oven and walked away. I went to sit down but the moment my back was turned the fire rose, I turned to look back and the oven was red. I mean this was a black wrought Iron stove, it should never have turned red, but there it was the color of my hair."

Rylee's eyes were open wide, her eyes luminous in the afternoon light. A wry smile lifted her lips as she continued her tale of her hazardous kitchen expeditions, "I tried to use my magic to lower the temperature, but it only got hotter. Soon the stove was melting into the floor everything was out of control. Just then Nienna walked into the house and it exploded. There was molten iron all over the walls. Nienna stood in the doorway to the kitchen and was covered in soot from head to toe. Her brothers, my uncles Námo and Irmo, walked in after her and looked at us. Námo shook his head, looked at Irmo, and said, 'I told you, we should have called them Spitfire and Smudge.' Irmo laughed and said 'I am sticking with Soot and Silt.' Then he looked around and said, 'Aulë is not going to be happy about rebuilding this kitchen again.'"

"So how did the turkey turn out?" Kili asked as he laughed with her.

"Extra crispy, there wasn't even enough juice left to make gravy," Rylee laughed heartily. "I was so mortified at the time, I swore off cooking right then and there. We both stank to high heaven. Thank goodness for Yavanna's soaps and oils or we would never have come clean. Irmo and Námo teased us relentlessly and the nicknames lasted for years until well, you know, until I ran away."

"Wait, how old were you?" Kili asked in confusion, she ran away at twenty-three.

"I was twelve." Rylee grinned at him, "I could barely see over the counter tops, I was climbing on chairs and stepstools, but I was determined to learn to cook."

"So what happened in Yavanna's kitchen?" Kili asked after he swallowed a bite of potatoes.

"I wasn't even the one cooking, Thorin was visiting from the Path of Dreams and I was so excited to train with him, I just ran through the kitchen in a hurry to grab my training sword from my bedroom. When I came back through, Yavanna and Mahal were trying to smother the flames, I think I was nine or ten at the time." Rylee shook her head with a smile, she speared a carrot with her fork and pointed it at him, "It's your turn. Tell me something embarrassing from your childhood."

Rylee cleared her plate and went back for more. Something Rylee never did. He could not help but comment, "Wow you have a big appetite tonight, I have never seen you eat so much."

"It's the fortification tea. The Master Healer prescribed it since I basically emaciated myself while in the forge." Rylee said thoughtfully as she sipped it. "It certainly has helped a lot. I was able to lift that sword yesterday, which would have been impossible without the tea. I have been forbidden to resume drinking Moon tea until after my next cycle. Until then I am to continue with the fortification tea."

She came back to the table and looked at him expectantly. Kili didn't need to be told what she wanted of him, she was still expecting a story. "Well, there was this one time when Fili and I were just little. He was around sixteen and I was eleven. Fili was always setting up pranks on Ori and I, and I really wanted to get him back for once. So I headed out to this field where he and I would spend our time practicing our swordplay, I spent hours rigging up this system of ball triggers, hidden catapults and buckets of slop, camouflaging them around the field. Then I found a place to hide and waited for Fili to return from his studies with Balin and Thorin. He was always up for training after studying decorum, so I was certain that he would be by soon. He didn't show for hours. It felt like forever. When he finally did, he was dragging a wooden practice dummy behind him. I waited until he was right in the center of the field."

"I don't see how this is embarrassing for you Kili," Rylee said with her eyebrow quirked and a forkful of meat pointed at him.

"Wait for it. You really are not very patient are you Rylee?" Kili chuckled softly. She stuck her tongue out at him and then popped the meat into her mouth, chewing quietly waiting for him to go on. "So I was waiting for him to finally square off with his practice dummy so I could pull the trigger and finally he stepped into the center. I pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. Not a single thing."

"So what did you do?" Rylee asked as she swallowed her bite and chased a potato around her plate with her fork.

"I tried hitting the trigger again and again, but nothing. I grew so frustrated that I stood and kicked the trigger, but then Fili noticed that I was there and figured something was up. Fili moved towards me, stepping off of the center mark and onto a secondary trigger. I raced forward intending to push him back onto the target, but he tripped over a pile of logs hidden under some brush and instead I fell over him and into the center myself." Kili grinned at her, his cheeks flushing red as Rylee started to chuckle softly, "By then it was too late, the catapults launched and I was absolutely covered in buckets full of pig slop. I was supposed to take the pails up to the farmer's wife that day and instead I covered myself from head to toe in it. Oil, weeds, potato skins, carrot peels and ends, you name it, I was covered in it."

Rylee's sniggers turned into chuckles, "What happened next?"

"Thorin came out to see what the racket was all about and he saw me," Kili admitted, he could feel his ears burning in embarrassment, but he kept going because he loved hearing Rylee laugh. "He knew immediately that Fili had nothing to do with it, since Fili was with him all day. He and Fili tossed bucket after bucket of water at me to rinse the slop off. Then Thorin handed me a rake and told me to clean up every scrap and take it to the Farmer's wife, like I was supposed to. I started decorum classes with Fili the following day. I found out later that Fili knocked over my main trigger volley when he hauled the training dummy into the field."

"Ouch," Rylee winced while chuckling at him, "Not only did your prank fail but you had to start your studies early. I feel for you Kili, I really do. If it's any consolation, I had to start my studies at the age of eight."

"Eight?" Kili asked incredulous, "You were practically a toddler!"

"Aye, a really bratty toddler who would hide in the bushes to throw berries at the Valar and braid Mikhaul's mane and beard into the wandering vines so she couldn't leave me and put glass jars over top of the field mice in Yavanna's pastures to make them stay so I could tell them stories," Rylee grinned at him brightly. Kili realized at that moment that Rylee would have been the only child amongst adults. She would have been so lonely.

When she was done eating her second plate of food and he his third, they did the washing up together. The conversation turned serious as they discussed her health and what she could do to prepare for the hardships of the trail as well as other more personal topics, such as pregnancy, conception, and contraception, they talked about how many children they ultimately wanted and more.

"Kili?" Rylee whispered softly after she put away the last dish, she hung her cloth and turned to him. She looked up to find him watching her intently, his brow arched but he didn't say anything. "I – Um- Thank you."

"For what my love? It was only dinner," Kili asked as he took her hand and pulled her into his arms. He buried his nose into her hair and gently kissed her ear, cheek, and temple as he let his hands run over her back.

"I was worried when we first came here but this was the most fun I have ever had in a kitchen," Rylee said softly pulling back to look into his eyes. "You Kili, are the most wonderful Dwarf I have ever met. You make me feel welcome and helpful. You understand me and don't belittle me for my shortcomings."

"What shortcomings? You are perfect Rylee, you are perfect for me." Kili told her, pulling her against him for a ravenous kiss. He kept reminding himself that it was one more night and one more day and she would be his and the only thing that kept him from taking the kiss deeper was the opening of the front door as Elihara and Elorin returned home.

"Come on you two, it's your Last Night!" Elorin grinned at them from the doorway, "No more kissing until tomorrow!"


	25. Last Night

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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**BTW: The wedding is in Chapter 26!**

Chapter 25

Last Night

June 10 - 11

Rylee left Elorin and Elihara's to meet Galadriel in the Main Gardens. Kili went into the opposite direction to the Winery where the men were gathering for their celebration. She walked swiftly not wanting to keep her friend waiting on her and as she approached the garden she heard a pair of familiar voices. Rylee blinked at the unlikely pair talking amicably. Thorin and Galadriel sat across from each other discussing Rylee's blood covered arrival in Rivendell.

"Elrond did tell me that she was wont to get covered in blood when she fought in the battles during the war, but I was never at the front and somehow she always seemed to arrive in the cover of darkness." Galadriel was telling him, a small smile graced her face and her eyes looked off into the distance as she remembered the long distant past. "It really should not be a surprise considering that she is the War Maiden of the Valar but in all my years of knowing her, I have never seen her get dirty. Only her maids saw her like that, Rohinna and the silent one, I never learned her name."

"Anirisae," Rylee offered as she approached, thinking of her other hand-maiden. Anirisae was not silent, she was merely shy, and the elleth had the most amazing singing voice. Rylee missed her greatly, she was quiet, sweet, and loyal to a fault, a soothing person to have around when the world was in the midst of chaos. "Her name was Anirisae. If you want to see a picture of me covered in something you should ask Ori to show you the drawing he did after the slough incident."

"Hmm, yes Ori would have some good drawings of Rylee on the trail," Thorin nodded with a grin, "Rylee looked like a Bog Monster that day," Thorin said with a small smile. He caught Rylee's eye silently asking if she was okay if he told the story, she grinned and nodded. "Apparently after some discussion between Rylee and Mikhaul, Mikhaul grew frustrated with Rylee's attitude and told her to lighten up, bucking and throwing her into a thick sludge-filled slough. When Rylee finally joined us for the remainder of the day she was covered head to toe in thick green and brown sludge."

Rylee was fascinated hearing Thorin's version of the tale, only interrupting every once in a while to let Galadriel know an important part of the conversation or to tell her what the sludge tasted like, and the fact that every time she hiccupped she had to taste it all over again. "She was wrapped up so tight that Fili and Kili had to cut the foliage off of her. I am certain that Mikhaul was trotting especially heavily that day. There was definitely a bounce in her step because the reeds, grasses, and ferns were bouncing all over the place. That poor frog on the lily pad was petrified until Kili finally got it off of Rylee's head. What did you end up calling him Rylee?"

"Bob," Rylee said with a grin, "Yavanna told Ulmo that Bob found a mate at his new home by the creek.

"When did you see Ulmo," Thorin asked in surprise.

"The same day that Dendra got spooked, Fili and Kili nearly drowned, and I gave my token to Kili." Rylee stated matter-of-factly, "Actually Ulmo also said that he remembered witnessing mine and Galadriel's first hunt together."

"Ulmo saw that?" Galadriel said in surprise, then she started to laugh, "Oh, that was a great day!"

"I was interesting, that was for certain," Rylee laughed, then they both looked at Thorin who was watching them with an expression that could only be described as a cross between confusion and amusement.

"Do you want to tell him or shall I?" Galadriel asked Rylee with a bright smile. Thorin was taken aback, what was with this Elf? She was already beautiful and breathtaking, even for a stubborn old dwarf such as he.

"You go ahead, it was your mess," Rylee grinned back.

"This happened long ago in the First Age, just weeks after I first met Rylee in Doriath," Galadriel told Thorin as they sat in the garden in the setting sun, "She was due to go hunting after her dragon within a few days so we decided to make a day of it and go hunting. It was the first sunny day in what seemed like weeks of rain and poor weather, it was a spectacular morning, perfect for hunting. We snared a few wild turkeys and I shot a small stag by the time we decided that it was time to head back. Only Rylee noticed a large buck just off the main path and we decided to track it on foot."

"We left Mikhaul on the main path since she was needed by Eru," Rylee added quietly and she glanced at Galadriel and continued, "We decided to split up. I broke left, Galadriel went right and we stealthily stalked our buck. Not an easy task when the ground squelched with every step from the moisture. I was so close, I had a throwing knife out and was taking aim, when suddenly a loud shriek cut the air. The buck took off and I ran in the direction of the scream. I knew it was Galadriel, because I heard her scream like that once before, I swear my heart stopped the instant I heard it. It did not take me long to find her, or what I thought might be her, it sounded like her anyways."

"I had caught my foot on a small stump and took a stumble down a hill, I thought that I caught my footing but when I tried to stand the soft earth under my feet fell away. I was caught in a mud slide. I slid all the way to the bottom into this massive puddle," Galadriel told Thorin, who was looking at the Elf maid with an absolutely incredulous look on his face, completely uncertain whether to believe her. He looked at Rylee who just nodded and grinned.

"I got there just as she was coming up for air, hacking and spitting out mud. I could hear her trying to clean her tongue saying, 'Gross, oh gross, so disgusting.' And then, 'Note to self, mud tastes really bad.' She was covered, from head to toe with mud, no word of a lie," Rylee said with a small snort of mirth as she thought back to the day. "She was caked with it, it was so thick that it stuck to her and matted every strand of her hair. I really could not believe it was her. She sat there for a long moment looking either completely bewildered or stunned. Then she looked up at me and she had the most mischievous expression in her eyes."

"I did not," Galadriel cried out in protest. "I was trying not to freak out. There was no mischief, I swear!"

"You did so! At that moment I was certain you were either going to pull me in or fling mud at me," Rylee laughed at her friend. "Unless you have a valid reason for looking at me like that, I will continue to say it was complete mischief."

"I was remembering the day that Finrod and I trapped Angrod and Aegnor in a pig hollow," Galadriel laughed, then she really looked at Rylee's shocked face and laughed harder. "I do have to admit it was a temptation to drag you in with me, but the look of shock and horror on your face at seeing me in that puddle was too much. You looked so worried."

"I was worried! I thought for certain that you were going to have a fit!" Rylee said with her eyes wide and her expression mimicking shock. "Any other Elf Maid would have screamed bloody murder."

"Is this story going anywhere or are you just going to argue about it all evening?" Thorin asked in thinly veiled amusement. He had never seen an Elf act so candid before. In his opinion they were all so stuffy and cold.

"Oh Thorin, thanks for reminding us," Galadriel chuckled softly, "There I sat in the middle of this massive mud puddle completely covered from head to foot, mud in every crack and crevice. I mean that quite literally. My heart was racing in my chest as I got my bearings and caught my breath. I ordered Rylee to stay where she was, that there was no point in both of us getting stuck in the puddle and I tried to stand. The mud was so thick that I could not get up, though I tried so many times. It was like glue; gummy, pasty, and thick."

"She looked like bubbles in a thick tomato sauce Adad, it was the most hilarious thing I have ever seen and I was trying so hard not to laugh at her. She would be on her hands and knees and stretch her arse into the air then try to pull her arms out, only for the mud under her feet to give away and she would fall back in. She tried just squatting and standing from there and same results." Rylee told him with an amused grin on her face. "Again and again she tried to stand up only to be pulled back down. Finally after what, ten, or twelve times?"

"I counted, it was eleven," Galadriel smirked and shot a look at Thorin, who was trying not to laugh at the description he was being given of the stunning Elf Maid. "Eleven tries and I finally got back to my feet. I had to take a moment to catch my breath. It was so exhausting just to do that. When I finally moved to walk out, I couldn't budge. My boots were suctioned into the mud. I pulled so hard at one point that I fell back in and had to try to stand up again."

"Luckily Galadriel already learned a technique to getting to her feet and was able to get up after only one try. Once she was back on her feet, she tried walking again and still her boots were stuck. There was no moving them. She had to bend over and untie them and step out. Her stocking came off with her boot. You should have seen her face Adad when her barefoot hit the bottom of the puddle, it was somewhere between complete horror and absolute enthrallment. 'It's going between my toes,' she said." Rylee mimicked her friend and started laughing so hard that she had to grab a trellis to keep from falling over.

"Nice Rylee," Galadriel scoffed at her friend who was having a fit. Then she looked back at Thorin with a wry smile, "Your God-daughter is a brat."

"Oh this I already know," Thorin chuckled watching as Rylee tried to calm down. "Please do continue."

"Once my boot was off I stepped down and having never felt mud between my toes before, it was, well, interesting to say the least. I did the same to the other foot with the same result. I do have to say, it is that very first squish that really throws you. Such a strange sensation," Galadriel said with a small half frown as she remembered the way the mud squeezed between each toe. She mentally shook the thought away and went on with her tale. "There I was standing barefoot in a puddle in the middle of a forest. My boots stuck there, taunting me, and me knowing that I had no choice but to try to get them out or go back home with no boots."

"Getting those boots out of the mud was as much of a process as Galadriel trying to stand. She would get a grip on them and pull and they refused to budge. Then she would try from a different direction and still nothing. Finally she got the right angle on one boot and it came out with a loud 'pop'. It was so sudden that the boot flew to the edge of the puddle, barely missing me and Galadriel landed back on her arse in the puddle." Rylee said through short breaths. Thorin wasn't sure what was more amusing, the story itself or Rylee trying to tell it. "Oh Adad, I still don't know how it was possible but she was even more covered in mud than before. It must have been drying on her in layers because it was even heavier and thicker."

"I could tell that Rylee was ready to jump in after me to haul me out and I had to yell at her not to." Galadriel shook her head at Rylee. Even back then Rylee was caught between trying not to laugh, trying to be helpful, trying not to get dirty, and willing to just jump in and haul her out. "As much as I would have appreciated the help, there was no point in both of us becoming bogged down in the mud. I struggled back to my feet and moved around to find a good leverage point on the other boot, but it was even more stuck than the first."

"All the while, she was practically tiptoeing through the mud, muttering, 'Eee, Ooo, umm, I don't know if I like mud in my toes.' Then she would tug on the boot as hard as she could, only to have her grip slip and stumble back. Then she would try again, saying, 'I mean it is an interesting sensation to be sure, I just don't know if I like it.' Finally after what felt like an hour she got an angle on the boot and pulled it out." Rylee sniggered at Galadriel. They shared a laugh.

"This time, I held onto the boot. I sludged to the edge of the puddle and sat on the grass to catch my breath." Galadriel told him with a grin. "As soon as I was out Rylee started to laugh. Really loudly. I don't think Morgoth heard her but everyone else did."

"Then she nearly gave me a heart attack by asking if she could see my axe," Rylee said as she sobered up, she looked at Thorin with the most stunned expression, "I was certain that she was going to kill me for laughing at her, so I refused. Then she tells me, 'I just want to see my reflection!' I looked at her and said, 'Nope! Absolutely not!' I could not fathom why she could want to see herself like that, I mean, I could barely recognize her and I saw it happen! I turned my back and she grabbed the axe right out of my holster, stared at herself for all of five seconds and started to laugh!"

"Your face was the best Rylee." Galadriel laughed heartily, "you should have seen her Thorin, her eyes were so wide I was certain that they would pop out of her head, her chin was dropped, her mouth was a little 'O' and she was so pale. I don't think she breathed for a full two minutes and when she did it was to laugh at me laughing at her."

"Do you remember Celeborn and Thingol's faces when we met them on the road?" Rylee asked with a small grin, "They were so worried and ready to tear the forest apart to find us, yet they had an arrow trained on Galadriel the moment they saw her. The only reason they didn't shoot was because I still looked like me. When they realized it was Galadriel they teased her nonstop all evening long. We had to take her through the back gate into the caverns of Menegroth so that she could get to the bath house without making such a huge mess on the floors."

Thorin shook his head at the pair, "If I didn't know Rylee as well as I do, I would say you two were pulling my leg. I cannot imagine a lady such as yourself covered in such filth."

"You're right Adad, it would be like seeing you covered in, well, anything," Rylee scoffed looking between Thorin and Galadriel. She smirked and looked up at her friend thinking, 'Oh the charmer, she actually won over Thorin.' If Rylee didn't know Galadriel as well as she did, she would never have believed it.

"But it has happened," Thorin grinned at Rylee and at Galadriel. Rylee's jaw dropped and Thorin chuckled at her surprise. "It isn't quite the tale you two just told me and I was lucky enough to not have to eat mud. Mine was a much sweeter surprise."

"Oh, well now you have to tell us Thorin," Galadriel chided him, "Come, you can tell us while we are on our way to the Winery."

"The Winery?" Rylee asked in confusion, she thought that they were going back to the House of Aulë for her Last Night celebration.

"Yes, we are in charge of bringing the wine," Galadriel told her. Rylee smiled in understanding. Thorin stepped in between the Elf and his God-daughter and took their arms in his own and together they started for the Winery where the rest of the Company was congregated. "Go ahead Thorin whenever you are ready."

"Well I was much younger, this was after Smaug took Erebor but before the battle of Azunulbizar. My family was living and working in Dunland at the time." Thorin started thinking back to his youth. It seemed like so long ago, when life was still full of possibilities and his family was still intact. "I was spending most of my days with my father and my grandfather, they were still intent on leading our people and doing them right so I was given duties and tasks in order to help assist them with running our portion of the village. They were long days filled with meetings, paperwork, site inspections, and training. Both Father and Grandfather were insistent that I be properly trained with every weapon, just in case we were to come under attack."

"So you were trained the same way that you trained me," Rylee said quietly, listening enraptured. Thorin rarely ever spoke of his past, much less his childhood.

"Aye, much the same," Thorin agreed taking in her attentive face. He smirked at her, "Mother started to complain to Father and Grandfather that they were taking up too much of my time. Frerin and Dis were practically climbing on top of me whenever I came in the door. It was so rare to see either of them. It was after one such day that I came home, the house smelled so good like gingersnap cookies, sweet rolls, and jelly cakes. I was starving and the first thing I did was head into the kitchen."

He looked up at Galadriel and saw that though she was watching their path, her attention was equally on him. He smiled politely and carried on, "I should have known something was up when I realized the kitchen door was closed. The kitchen door was always propped wide open. So when I opened it I should have realized that something was going on. As soon as I took two steps through the door I was hit with the first exploding sugar cake, then another, dozens of them rained down on me coating me with fine white powder and finally an entire vat of soft glaze was dumped over my head."

"I blinked in complete surprise, trying to see through the sticky mass that covered my face and found the grinning faces of my brother Frerin and my sister Dis," Thorin shared as Rylee snickered quietly. She was walking close beside him so he poked her in the ribs and she giggled and arched away from his tickling. Then he carried on with his story, "I thought they were done, so I turned around only to be hit by more sugar bombs, followed by cake icing and candy chips. I stood there completely covered in confectionary, looking back at the grinning faces of Dwalin, Balin, and my mother."

"Your mother was in on it?" Galadriel chuckled softly. She let Thorin lead them around a cobblestone corner towards a large winery at the end of the narrow street.

"My mother instigated it," Thorin growled lowly as he shook his head with a small smile. "She had Dwalin and Balin create the sugar bombs. My sister and brother rigged the vats of glaze and icing. My mother dumped the candy chips on my head for good measure. When my father and Grandfather came in moments later, they were almost as shocked as I was."

"At least yours tasted good!" Rylee scoffed poking him in the ribs, "I had to taste slough water, and poor Galadriel has had the ill luck of tasting worse than just mud. I really cannot imagine!"

"Would you like to know the worst part about the whole thing?" Thorin said with a wry grin.

"What?" Rylee and Galadriel spoke in unison.

"I had completely forgotten that it was my birthday." Thorin deadpanned.

Rylee's eyes went wide as she looked up at him in shock, "You forgot your own birthday? You mean that was a birthday prank?"

"It was and my mother finally got it across to my father that they were taking away too much of my time with all of my duties." They were headed into the entrance of the Winery and Thorin opened the door for them, allowing the pair of ladies to enter before him. He could hear the lads in the far room, already on their way to becoming tipsy, and from the sounds of it, they were having a belching contest. Thorin shook his head in embarrassment. What had he led these ladies into? He looked at Rylee and then at Galadriel and was stunned. If he wasn't already silent, he would have been speechless. They both wore grins from ear to ear.

"Is that what I think it is?" Galadriel asked.

Rylee chuckled softly, "I do believe so."

"Mahal, please help me," Thorin whispered from behind them. Neither the Elf nor the Dwarrowdam paid him any mind as they both stepped into the room where the dwarves were gathered. Thorin followed them in, his curiosity getting the best of him. The Company was gathered plus Elorin but minus Bilbo, who Thorin knew would join them when Gandalf, Elrond and his sons arrived later that evening. The Hobbit was still uncomfortable with some of the pranks and shenanigans that the Dwarves would get up to. Last night's antics were still bothering the mild little Halfling, even though Rylee was a great sport about the whole thing.

They entered the room just as Bofur let out a really loud and long belch to cheers from the others. Ori laughed and called out, "That was great Bofur, but it still didn't match mine at Bag End, much less Rylee's from our first night here. Nori, you're up."

Balin, Dwalin, Oin, Gloin and Dori were sitting at a table off in a far corner quietly talking about the mines in Ered Luin and were writing a missive to be sent back to the Dwarf settlement there. Thorin thought that it was odd timing for them to be doing paperwork and council errands, but then these were his hardest workers and they always put the welfare of their people first, even from hundreds of miles away. Though to celebrate Kili's Last Night, they did each have a large cup of wine in hand as they went about their discussions.

"Do you think we can beat them?" Galadriel asked with a glint in her eyes. Thorin's eyes snapped back to the ladies beside him in complete shock.

"If there is anyone to beat it would be Ori, from what I gather," Rylee chuckled whispering quietly. "And if what they told me on my first night here is true, then yes we can definitely take them."

"You don't honestly plan to join the belching contest?" Thorin asked under his breath, drawing grins from both Galadriel and Rylee.

"Joining? No Adad," Rylee laughed.

"We intend to win Thorin." Galadriel smirked, shooting Rylee a grin.

The younger dwarves were all sitting in a circle, drinks in hand as they proceeded to have their belching contest. Nori was just finishing his turn, which fell a little flat compared to Bofur's and he of course protested and wanted to go again. They teased him and the turn went to Bombur. It was a resounding belch that easily outdid Nori and even put Bofur's to shame. "So far that's the best one, but it still doesn't top Rylee's."

"Perhaps you should show us how it's done then Ori," Kili laughed as the scribe turned red with half embarrassment and half pride.

"Fine, I will," Ori puffed his chest and stood. He chugged his mug of strong Elven wine and let it settle for a moment before he released a long, rumbling, loud belch that filled the room. It easily outweighed Bofur's and even outdid Bombur's.

Dwalin turned to the group from his seat and raised his glass and drawled, "Well that's the winner then."

"That was nothing," Rylee piped up all of a sudden. All eyes turned to her and Galadriel, not one of the Dwarves had realized that the pair was even in the room with them and only then realized that Thorin was with them. There was some foot shuffling from every Dwarf in the room, which made Thorin want to laugh out loud. Every one of them was embarrassed to be caught having a belching contest in front of the beautiful Elf Maid. "I bet you that I can beat Ori's belch, without the assistance of wine and I bet that Galadriel can beat mine."

"Whatever lass," Nori scoffed and shook his head in disbelief. Several others chuckled at this and nudged each other. The table of elders looked over at them and laughed openly, shaking their heads. All of the Dwarves looked at Galadriel in shock since she was not arguing against Rylee and in fact seemed to be going along with the bet! Bofur and Bombur refused to meet Rylee's eyes and Bifur signed that they needed to talk. Rylee wondered what was up and nodded at him.

"You are not saying that Lady Galadriel was the friend who could beat you?" Gloin asked from the table in the corner. He blinked up at the lovely Elf-maid in complete surprise.

Rylee grinned widely and winked at him, "That is exactly what I am saying."

"What's your bet?" Ori said, his pride was on the chopping block and if he won he wanted to do it fair and square.

"If I lose, Galadriel has to drink two bottles of Fire Wine and I have to chug four bottles of Fire Wine before we leave here. If I win, you each have to chug one full bottle." Rylee said with absolute surety. Galadriel stood beside her, trying not to laugh, these poor dwarves were going to be drunk by the time they finished their bottles of Fire Wine.

"You're on!" Ori said with a huge grin, he was certain that he had this bet in the bag.

"Are you certain you don't want another go before we do?" Galadriel teased him softly.

Thorin shook his head in amusement as he watched Galadriel. Rylee definitely brought out an entirely different side to this she-elf. If he didn't know better he would think that Galadriel was the half dwarf-half elf and Elihara the full bred elf. Not that he would say anything, the last thing he wanted to do was insult either one of them.

Ori shook his head, for the first time on this journey he was feeling pretty great about himself, but that could have been the wine talking. Rylee took a breath, sucked a huge amount of air into her belly, held it there and let it loose. It was long, low, loud, and it reverberated through the room with its longevity. It put the one she did on the terrace to shame. Thirteen pairs of eyes stared at the petite Dwarrowdam, not one of them could believe that the pretty lass made such an uncouth burp.

"Well," Balin said looking up from his parchment, blinking in surprise, "bless my beard!"

"That settles it," Gloin said sitting back from the table. "We might as well put this away, these fool lads will have us knackered by the time we are done that bottle of wine.

"Oh Gloin, you don't have to drink the wine," Rylee said her eyes wide. She never intended for the older dwarves to be in on the bet, only the younger ones.

"Of course we do lass," Dwalin scoffed, shaking his head at her, "'Tis a matter of honor. Even if we didn't participate, we all scoffed at your bet. Now if your friend there doesn't fail you, we will be chewing on our own laughter."

"If you are certain," Rylee said her face straight, giving away nothing. She looked at Kili who was still watching her with a stunned expression on his face. "Are you ready Galadriel?"

"Hmm," was all Galadriel said. Thorin looked up at her with complete shock as she did the same as Rylee did moments before, pulling air into her stomach, letting it settle for a long moment before releasing it. Louder than Rylee's, deeper, and so much longer, it was the strangest noise Thorin ever heard emerge from the mouth of an elf. He laughed. He could not help it, he just laughed.

The dwarves were stunned. Not one of them was sure whether to laugh, cry, cheer, or applaud the Elven Lass. They looked from the ladies standing before them, to their king standing just behind them laughing with true mirth, and then at each other. Dwalin was the first to speak, "Well, I will be a forges hammer!"

"How do we know you didn't hedge the bet and let her win?" Nori said and stood with an outraged quirk to his brow.

Fili pulled him back to his seat and said with a wicked grin, "I have heard Dain belch and his are the biggest I have heard, only these two 'ladies' have topped him. Besides Rylee didn't give her tell."

"Right, my tell," Rylee rolled her eyes, she glared at Thorin, "Now everyone knows my 'tell', except for me! For your information Nori, I have tried to beat Galadriel, it is impossible."

"Where is that Fire Wine Rylee?" Thorin asked as he came down from his mirth. "I would like to toast you and Lady Galadriel with my bottle before you head off to your celebration."

Rylee moved to the back of the cellar to search for her wine and within seconds she was cornered. She reached up for a crate of Fire Wine Bottles and Kili's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her against him. Rylee gasped in surprise and arched into him as he pulled her tight, nuzzling against the sensitive spot behind her ear. "Always so full of surprises. That was the strangest thing I have ever seen you do Rylee and yet it was glorious. You know they are all going to try to prank you now right? Twice in a row with the Fire Wine."

"This was a bet, they cannot get me back for that," Rylee chuckled turning in his arms. She reached up to pull on his courting braid. "Even though the Fire Wine at dinner was not a prank, I do understand that they want to get me back. I am fine with that. Do you want revenge as well Kili?"

"Nay Rylee," Kili chuckled softly. He reached for her braid and curled it around his finger. He could not wait until that Valar braid was unraveled so he could run his fingers through her hair again. He pulled her in for a long slow kiss, letting her taste the flavor of her favorite wine on his lips and tongue before he pulled away. "I happen to like your Fire Wine. The other stuff doesn't taste as good as it used to."

"Hmm, you taste really good." Rylee whispered back, denying her desire to kiss him again. "Will you help me get these bottles down? I need fourteen for you and a crate for me."

"What are you two doing back there?" Fili asked, peeking his head around the corner. A smirk played around his mouth as he watched them.

Kili released her, let go of her braid, and reached above Rylee's head to pull down a crate of fire wine. "Here is yours My Lady, I will bring out the rest."

"Thank you my love." Rylee smiled up at him. Fili groaned and muttered something about rotting his teeth making Rylee chuckle softly. She carried the crate past Kili and nudged Fili on her way, "Come on big brother, you can't be a sour puss all the time."

"As long as you keep feeding us that burning wine, I will be as sour as I like," Fili teased her.

"Even if I promise to make you really nice weapons to make up for it?" Rylee asked him tauntingly.

Fili pulled her to a stop. "Would you really Rylee? Make me more knives?"

"Knives, swords, axes, whatever you like I will make it for you," Rylee smiled up at him, taking in his excitement. "Once I have a forge I will make you all sorts of weapons. I thought you knew that already."

"I will hold you to that little sister." Fili said, he reached up and pulled gently on her courting braid. He was fully aware of how hair touching caused her pain. All he wanted to do was give her his blessing and show her his affection, so his touch was light. "As long as you make me weapons, I will drink your damn wine."

"Before long, you will love that wine." Rylee chuckled softly as Kili carried out two more flats of bottles. She helped him hand them out, "Bottoms up boys."

Thorin and Kili were the first to tilt their bottles. Kili made it all the way to the bottom in one shot, while Thorin had to take a break half way, tears coming to his eyes. He lifted the second half in a toast, "To Rylee, she has corrupted even the most pure of hearts. Never underestimate the Dwarvish behavior of Rylee and her closest friends. Lady Galadriel, you have won the hearts of the Company."

Once the bottles were emptied, Rylee handed her flat of Fire Wine to Galadriel and hoisted a small cask of Sweet Elven wine onto her own shoulders. "Shall we, Galadriel? We have a party of our own to get to."

She was stopped at the door by Bofur, Bifur, and Bombur and Rylee remembered her promise to talk to them. She motioned for them to join her at the entrance, "What? What's wrong, you look like I ate your favorite treat?"

"We heard you did not like the Dwarves of Nogrod," Bofur stated almost grumpily.

Rylee frowned and shook her head, "Well there was an envoy of Dwarves from Nogrod that I did not care for and their King was an arse, but that is beside the point. Why are you saying this, what did you hear?"

"You have been quoted as saying that the Dwarves of Nogrod were stone, within and without," Thorin said, joining them. "They overheard me speaking with Balin and got upset. Apparently their family line traces back to the Dwarves of Nogrod."

"Oh! That was taken out of context! I did in fact say that to Celeborn," Rylee told them, Bifur started to grumble, and Rylee shifted her weight under the cask and hurried to finish her thought, "I said, and I repeat verbatim, 'If all Nogrod Dwarves were like the Envoy and their King, I would say they were stone, within and without, and wash my hands of the lot, but I have met many kind folk from Nogrod which is why I put up with this lot.' It was never intended as a slight against all Nogrod Folk and I am one hundred percent certain that Celeborn never intended it to be either. It was a quote that has likely been said a thousand times and has lost its way. It has been six thousand years after all."

"I recall that conversation," Galadriel added looking at the Dwarves standing before them, her face was one of earnest honesty, "Celeborn asked why you didn't just tell the greedy buggers to shove off, and you said you could not condone disowning an entire mountain of people for the sake of a few corrupt leaders. You had every reason to despise those emissaries."

Rylee looked at each of her friends, all three looked at her searching her face for a lie, while she tried to see if there was a resemblance to someone she knew from the First Age. Finally she put her finger on it, "Are you descended from Telchar or Gamil Zirak by any chance?"

"We are descended from Telchar," Bofur nodded still looking at her with uncertainty.

"There you have it. Telchar was a well-respected Dwarf from Nogrod who was noble in nature if not by birth. He was warm hearted, brave, well-loved, and one of the greatest Smiths of his time," Rylee said softly, once again adjusting the cask on her shoulders, as she tried to set the story straight. "I swear to you, I would never lump a group of people together on the impressions or acts of a minor few. If I did that I would have very few friends."

"What do you mean lass?" Bombur asked, his round face was almost sad as he looked at her.

"Well, if I was to take my impression of elves based solely on Oropher and Thranduil, then I would think that all elves were arrogant, imperial, and cold. I would call them all prancing, pretentious pricks." Rylee said with an eye roll. Galadriel scoffed beside her and whispered, 'there's the honest truth.' Rylee chuckled. Neither of them liked that family very much. "They were absolutely foolish with little patience, and no sense of military strategy. Not that they weren't skilled warriors, just not great at planning a battle."

"That was my impression of them," Thorin scoffed shaking his head.

Rylee nodded, she had figured that out, which was one of the reasons that she used them as an example, "Luckily, Elves in general are more like Gil-galad, Elrond, Celeborn, and Galadriel. Sadly, you must take the bad along with the good or suffer not knowing greatness."

"I knew you'd never say all Nogrod Dwarves were made of stone." Bombur said as Bofur took the cask off her shoulders, allowing his brother to haul her into a tight hug. Rylee laughed and hugged him back.

Bifur looked at her and grunted in Khuzdul, "They would have glared at you all night, if not for me."

"Well I thank Mahal for you Bifur," Rylee grinned hauling him into a group hug. Bofur joined in and squeezed her tight.

"All right you three let her go," Thorin ordered them from Galadriel's side. "Rylee has her own Last Night to attend."

"Oh, right, sorry lass," Bofur released her, his face spread into his usual cheeky grin. He lifted the cask and handed it back to Rylee so she could prop it up onto her shoulders. She turned to the doors and was about to head out when she heard Bofur ask Galadriel quietly, "What did you mean she had every reason to despise the emissaries. What did they do?"

"After two unsuccessful attempts to steal her mithril weapons, they tried to kidnap her," Galadriel responded just as quietly, "She beat them to within an inch of their lives and let them off with a warning that if they ever came near her or one of her friends again, she would send them back to their King with their special parts missing, only to have their King try to force her into marriage."

"Mahal, no wonder our forefathers left for Belegost and Khazad-Dum," Bombur said in a low whisper, "Makes me double glad for a king like Thorin. She should have taken their beards."

"I did!" Rylee called back as she looked at the doors and was about to prop the barrel of wine against the door-jam so she could open it when the portal swung wide and she came face to face with Daeron. He looked at Rylee, then over at Galadriel and smiled, "My Ladies! It seems I was just in time!"

He held the door for them as they left the building, thanking him as they went. Glorfindel was just on the other side when they emerged. Rylee and Galadriel both just smiled and nodded at him and without another word they slipped out of the Winery to leave the dwarves to their party. With the fire wine in their systems, the dwarves were going to be hit hard with the effects and neither Rylee nor Galadriel wanted to be in the vicinity when it did.

"I cannot believe we told Thorin about the mud puddle," Rylee laughed softly. "But I am even more surprised that he shared about his birthday."

"A small sacrifice paid to lift the darkness that lives within him," Galadriel said softly into the night air. Thorin Oakenshield was a Dwarf at war with himself. If Jovina Malagnûna was correct, Rylee had her work cut out for her, she would need all the help she could get. They passed Elorin, Gandalf, Bilbo, Elrond and his sons as they entered the Winery. Both Elladan and Elrohir stopped to offer their help carrying their heavy loads. Bilbo and Elorin went along inside as Gandalf and Elrond watched in amusement as the twins insisted on taking the crate from Galadriel and the small cask from Rylee, despite their protests.

"Fine, you go ahead and don't wait for us," Rylee chided them both shaking her head, "And get back to the Winery quickly before those Dwarves finish all of the wine."

"You don't really think they will do you?" Elladan asked in shock.

Rylee laughed and Galadriel answered, "Do you recall what I once told you about Durin's Folk?"

"That they can drink till they collapse and when they rise they will drink some more?" Elrohir quipped in response.

"There are ten Durin's in that Winery right now, and three descendants of Telchar, who could easily drink as much as Durin," Rylee informed them softly. "I suggest you move quickly if you want your share. Oh and avoid the drinking games, Elves or not, Dwarves play dirty."

"Duly noted my lady," Elladan said and took off in a lope, trying to keep from stirring up the wine as he rushed forward. Elrohir merely bowed his head and took off for his brother.

"Your grandson's are quite amusing." Rylee said as she watched them go.

"They take after their mother, Celebrian was full of fun as well once," Galadriel smiled softly, but her eyes were sad. "That was before the Orcs kidnapped her and before she left for Aman. I take it Elrond told you?"

"Aye, the scourge of darkness marred yet again the beauty of Ilúvatar," Rylee said with a hard scowl. "One day Galadriel, we will find peace again in this world."

"With you as Rúnyatári I am certain that we will," Galadriel told her softly. Rylee sighed in thinly veiled frustration and uncertainty. "I know you doubt yourself, you fear the darkness that stains you, but you are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for."

"I read the scrolls yesterday," Rylee said softly, thinking about the day before. "I think that I purposely forgot what my role was, what this crown meant, and the weight of it all. Hoping that my memories were wrong, maybe it was just wishful thinking that with my death in that Age the pact would be complete. Morgoth was banished to the Timeless Void. Sauron was to be tried in the eyes of the Valar. It should have been over."

They fell into silence for several minutes as they walked peacefully side by side. Both lost deep within their own thoughts as they slowly made their way through the quiet streets of Rivendell at night. The soft strains of a harp played several streets over the sweet music lingered in the sweet evening air, soon a flute joined in with the same tune, then the pipes of pan and a lute. All of the instruments filled the streets with the soft sweet tune. Rylee felt like she was being serenaded by the elves in their homes as she walked along the peaceful streets.

They were just passing the armory when Saruman waved them down, "Rylee Emitheral, I was looking for you."

"You are leaving." Rylee stated as she looked up at him with a wan smile. Even though his clothes remained the same, and there was no pack, bedroll, or any other implement that spoke of travel, Rylee knew. It was hidden there in his voice.

"I have some errands to take care of before our meeting with Thorin and the White Council," Saruman said lowly, he was not quite meeting her eyes and Rylee chuckled.

"I understand Curumo," Rylee said with a small smile, "You have never been one to attend weddings."

"I suppose I have not," He looked at her with the slightest lift to his lips, "I did remember to make a gift, for you and your beloved. They are not much but they symbolize what I see when you are together."

He handed her a closed box, wrapped in white lace and tied with a deep blue ribbon. It was long and narrow, covering both of her palms, and Rylee wondered what it could possibly be. "Thank you Curumo, I will let Kili know you send your best."

"It pains me to admit this Rylee but from what I have seen, he is good for you," Saruman said sagely looking down at her. "He brings your fire to life. You were so sad and tired when I saw you with Fram and that Fleet Took. It brings me peace to see that you have found happiness."

"Kili is everything to me," Rylee smiled up at him, taking the box into one hand and placing the other on his arm, "Take care on your travels Curumo, the darkness is rising."

"I will see you again soon Rylee Emitheral," Saruman said before turning to the stables.

She stood silently with Galadriel as they watched him walk away, then they turned to the path through the woods towards the House of Aulë. Elladan and Elrohir jogged past them calling out greetings and farewells as they went, as they finally reached the paved street they broke into a run, racing each other back to the Winery.

"Saruman is different when he is around you," Galadriel said suddenly breaking the silence.

"What do you mean?" Rylee asked curiously.

"He seems younger, more open, lighter even," Galadriel said looking at Rylee with a small confused frown, like she was trying to give life to her thoughts. "There is something about you that brings out the best in people."

"That is Nienna's Grace, Varda's light and Yavanna's love of all that lives," Rylee smiled at her friend. "I was created to be a creature of light, not this mutilated shadow of darkness that stands before you now."

"You are still a creature of light." Galadriel smiled at her, "In fact it grows brighter every day."

The path opened up into the wild garden of the House of Aulë, lit brightly from within, feminine laughter spilled out the windows and mingled with the tinkling torrents of the waterfall as it fell into the large pond. Stepping through the door, Rylee was swept into the arms of Elihara and pulled into the living area of the main house. Elihara, Rohinna, and a black haired girl Rylee never met before were within. Rylee wondered for a moment where Lerain was but dismissed the thought, perhaps the elleth was busy.

"Emitheral! You must meet my daughter Kalyna," Elihara called as she hauled Rylee forward. Before her stood a maid, taller than Rylee by nearly three inches, sturdily built like a dwarf woman with wide shoulders and hips, her figure a stunning hour glass. She was well muscled, made obvious by the fine definition in her exposed forearms and her angular face. Her face was more Elf than Dwarf, like Kili described, she was all high cheek bones and creamy skin, only the brushing of fine black silk in front of her ears and along her jaw bone gave hint to her Dwarf ancestry. Her ears we similar to Bilbo's, slightly rounded like a Dwarf, but jutting out to a slight point. The girl was a stunning beauty, regardless of which race she hailed from.

"Shamukh, ra galikh ai-mâ Kalyna," Rylee said with a slight bow. The words meant Hail and well met. It was a formal greeting meant for those of honor. From what Rylee understood the Dunedain were great warriors and keepers of peace within Middle-Earth, it was indeed a great honor to be in the presence of such a warrior.

"It is purely my honor Rúnyatári," Kalyna said as she bowed lower than Rylee. "I have always dreamed of the day I would finally meet you and now that it is here, I can only say that you are even more than I ever imagined."

"Her father brags about you all the time," Elihara said as Kalyna rose back up to her full height.

The Dunedain warrior was practically vibrating with excitement as she spoke to her. Kalyna scoffed, "As does my mother and Elrond, even Norwend Took was under your thrall. I completely understand why. Is it true that every black braid means a dragon? And that the side braids mean a quest? Wait you are missing a braid, you are missing the braids for Scatha."

"I will braid those ones in tomorrow before my wedding," Rylee said softly with amusement. "Please just call me either Rylee or Emitheral or Rylee Emitheral. No titles, no formalities. You are the daughter of a dear friend and I want no hero worship tonight of all nights. Can someone pass me a bottle of Fire Wine?"

"You brought eight bottles Rylee. What in the world are you going to do with eight bottles of Fire Wine?" Rohinna said handing her an opened bottle. The others, she set into a large bin of ice, she prepped the cask and started pouring out glass after glass of sweet Elven wine for everyone else.

"I plan on drinking them," Rylee said with a cheerful laugh, "Tonight I plan to test my limits and beat my personal best."

"What's your personal best?" Kalyna asked with a stunned expression. No one, not even Elves, could drink more than four bottles of that wine without passing out.

"Six!" Rylee said before she chugged half of her bottle.

"And a half," Galadriel corrected her, "Jovina, you recall that don't you?"

Jovina came from one of the rooms near the back of the house and joined them. "The only reason it was not more, was because that Bloody Durin had her drinking Ale for half the night beforehand."

Rylee grinned and hauled Jovina into a tight hug. "I am sorry for my cold reaction earlier Jovina Malagnûna. Please forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive, child. You looked like you saw a ghost," Jovina told her hugging her back just as tight. "You are too skinny, you have grown an inch and you still sport not a hair on your chin. You have gone and killed at least thirty vile beasts since I saw you last and you have lost your Star."

"I am guilty of all of it, yet the only regret is losing the Star," Rylee said as tears welled in her eyes.

Jovina pulled away and put her hands on either side of Rylee's face, she pulled her in and kissed her nose making Rylee laugh. "Of all the darkness I have seen within you, it is the fear that bothers me the most. Do not let it consume you. My dear child, I swear to you, I will help you succeed."

Rylee smiled and looked at Jovina with her fathomless eyes, her powers shuttered away, and a steel look upon her face. "You have never broken your word before Jovina, I know you will do what you say. I just hope that when the time comes, we are both ready."

"We will be, now this is supposed to be a party," Jovina said pushing away from Rylee and calling out to the others, "Where are Rylee's Masque Cards? I want to play a game!"

"Oh, I know just where those are!" Rohinna jumped up and ran from the room, she was back a few minutes later with a wooden box and a large box of gaming chips. On the back of each card was a picture of a Maiden or a Lord in a Masquerade Costume, depicting the Valar, the constellations, there were even costumed versions of places within the deck, some were even depictions of events in the History of the World. Every card was different. The game was simple, the player picked a card, placed the card on their forehead with the picture facing the room. The others would silently act out what was on the card and for every wrong answer the player had to take a drink.

Rylee was the first to go since it was her night. Immediately Rohinna started spinning in circles while blowing raspberries. "Ulmo!" Rylee called, but she continued to spin and blow raspberries. Rylee took a drink from her bottle and Elihara joined Rohinna making the wind blow and clapping her hands like thunder. Jovina giggled at the pair of them then joined in floating in between trying to hold back the other two, while Galadriel knelt before them. Kalyna made her face look angry and tried pulling the tempest towards them. Rylee was stunned for a long moment, "Ossë, tempted by darkness and being brought back to the light by his love of Uinen at the behest of Aulë."

Rylee was going to see Yavanna later that night, she wondered if she would have time to see Ossë. He was one of the few Maia who knew what it was like to be tempted by Morgoth, if anyone could help her through this, it would be he. If the others realized how prophetic that card was, not one of them said a word. Galadriel pulled a card and the game went on. Every card after the first was light hearted and the ladies started teasing each other that they were losing on purpose just so they could get drunk. They were all quite tipsy by the time they ran out of cards and they changed games.

Rylee propped a series of bowls on one end of the room. The largest bowl was closest to them, and the smallest was the farthest away and the hardest to see. They used the chips and tossed them at the bowls. The main target was the smallest bowl, if the player successfully landed their chip in the target they did not have to drink. The second bowl indicated a small sip the third bowl a swig, the fourth and largest was a large gulp and a miss meant chugging the glass. For Rylee the game was different, since she was a marksman, hitting anything other than the smallest target meant she had to take a gulp. Even after her fourth bottle of Fire Wine she was still hitting the target more often than she was missing. It wasn't until after her sixth that her aim became shakier and she started to miss.

"I still cannot believe it," Kalyna whispered to her mother, "Six bottles and she still hits the target!'

"I wonder if she is any good at Rocks?" Elihara giggled. Rylee spun towards them with the happiest, most excited, and drunk face they had ever seen on her.

"You play rocks?" Rylee gasped her eyes went wide with enthusiasm. "I love rocks! Norwend taught it to me! Can we play? Pretty, pretty please?"

"Whoa, someone is a little drunk," Elihara giggled again and turned to Galadriel. "Have you ever seen her this far gone?"

"I cannot say I have, she is wildly amusing though," Galadriel laughed watching her friend run around the room gathering things they could use for targets and rocks.

Kalyna ran forward and stopped Rylee in her tracks, "Stop Rylee! I have a target set at home that Norwend made for me, I will go get it and we can play outside."

"Yes! We can play in the moonlight!" Rylee giggled and started putting away all of the items she had just gathered. She took another swig out of her bottle, it was her seventh and pouted when only a drop came out, "Someone drank my wine! Who drank my wine? Was it you Elihara?"

Rylee was teasing, there was a mischievous glint in her eyes as she chased Elihara around the room trying to catch her to tickle out a confession. When Elihara surrendered in a fit of giggles and no more wine was found, Rylee turned to Rohinna and the chase began anew. Meanwhile Galadriel went to the icebox and pulled out the last bottle of Fire Wine. Hiding it behind her back under her long gold and silver hair, then she snuck over to the far side of the room and sat on one of the heavy chairs that was placed before the windows. Jovina was on the floor with Rylee pinning her, telling her that she should give up the wine or face getting a pair of 'Wet Willies' to both ears. To make her point Rylee stuck both of her pointer fingers in her mouth to wet them, and Jovina shrieked, trying to escape.

Rylee was about to follow through when Kalyna came through the door with a satchel of rocks, looked at the scene before her and deadpanned, "I thought we were playing Rocks, not "Wet Willies."

"Rocks!" Rylee jumped off of Jovina and ran for the door and Kalyna. She grabbed the taller girl around the waist and spun her around once before hauling her back out the door.

"Rylee, you forgot something!" Galadriel teased, holding up the eighth and last bottle of Fire Wine.

"Why you little-!" Rylee hollered chasing down the bottle of Fire Wine, which Galadriel held high above her head. Rylee just laughed and poked Galadriel in the belly, "You know I am too drunk to care, if I have to climb up you to get that wine, I will do it!"

"For some reason I believe you," Galadriel laughed, but still she held it high out of Rylee's reach. Moments later Rylee was climbing up her back reaching for the wine, the others were laughing hard at their antics.

"I swear Galadriel, you are as tall as a tree," Rylee said from her perch on Galadriel's shoulders, having finally retrieved her wine. "I am actually a little terrified to climb back down."

"I cannot believe I am giving you a piggy back, like a child." Galadriel snorted carrying Rylee over to where Kalyna set up the targets for Rocks. She set Rylee down with as much dignity and grace as she could muster while Rylee shrieked at the movement. The others could only laugh at Rylee as she stumbled forward, bowling into Elihara and Jovina as she went.

Rylee went to take a swig of her wine when she realized that it was still corked. She whimpered at the sight of the cork and then slowly tried to work it out of the bottle. "I swear they make these things drunk proof on purpose. How in the world am I to break my record if I can't even open the bottle?"

"Rylee," Jovina chided her with a snort of laughter, "You broke your record with the last bottle. You are making a new record now."

"Give it here, before you split the cork," Rohinna demanded swiping the bottle from Rylee's hands. Within seconds she had the cork out, the bottle opened and back into Rylee's waiting hands.

"How the hell is it that you are not drunk yet?" Rylee inquired in frustration. "This must be fixed, get the elleth more wine, I am not to be the only drunk at my Last Night."

"I am on it!" Kalyna said with a huge grin, she ran back into the house and brought out more glasses of wine, handing them out to the others. "Now can we play a game of Rocks?"

With Rylee as drunk as she was, she was allowed to throw properly, still she beat the others easily and by the time the game was over the others were nearly as drunk as her. Every one of them was stumbling into the walls as they went back into the house, where they piled onto the overlarge furniture in the living area and they sat chatting and giggling.

Rohinna suddenly let out a large burp. She sat up straight with her eyes wide in shock as a deep red flush filled her cheeks. She looked completely mortified as she looked from Rylee to Galadriel, "Oh my! Excuse me! I have no idea where that came from!"

"Relax Rohinna, you are among friends and I have been known to let out a large burp upon occasion," Galadriel said soothingly to the dark haired elf maiden.

"You mean it's true, those stories that Fleet Took would tell?" Rohinna asked her eyes still wide as she eyed the Lady of Lothlórien.

"Of course! That and others," Galadriel chuckled unabashedly, "I find it rather amusing how few people want to believe it, even after all of these years."

"You mean the stories of mud puddles and pranks with chicken feathers, those are true too?" Rohinna giggled as she recalled all of the stories that Fleet would tell her.

"Oh those were bright days in a time of darkness," Galadriel grinned, then laughed outright as Kalyna let out a burp of her own after downing the rest of her wine. Elihara burst out laughing only to follow seconds later with a resounding belch that put her daughter's to shame.

"So what, is this another contest?" Rylee asked from where she was curled up beside Jovina, with her head resting on the other woman's shoulder, "Your turn, Jovina."

"Must I?" Jovina chuckled quietly, she was quite tired, she was finally coming down from being drunk, but she didn't want to disappoint Rylee. She let out a large belch that went from a tenor to a baritone to a deep bass, making Rylee giggle softly.

"Beautiful Jovina," Rylee said softly, "I forgot how you could change the tones like that."

"Yea well if I do recall, it is your turn now," Jovina nudged Rylee in the ribs forcing a rumbling, rolling burp from the young lass's belly, it was followed in quick succession with two more slightly shorter and louder burps.

"'Scuse me," Rylee giggled and the others joined her. "I wasn't expecting those little ones, they just kind of showed up on their own. Your turn Galadriel, show me what you can do after several glasses of wine."

"Only for you, dear Rylee," Galadriel faked a sigh of contention and pulled some air into her belly and let out her largest burp ever. It did like Jovina's and changed pitch, it even paused for a moment as it moved from a low bass to a tenor before dropping to a baritone, rolling and thundering around the room.

"That was very manly of you Nerwen," Rylee giggled, Galadriel looked at Rylee's face in surprise. She sounded very girly all of a sudden with that high pitched tinkling laugh. It was not a laugh that went with Rylee.

"Well I am done," Rohinna sighed softly, "I have to see my bed before the room starts to spin out of control."

She stood and said good night to Rylee who just grinned up at her friend and thanked her for joining in the fun. Elihara and Kalyna left as well, both of them using the other as support as they made their way outside. As soon as the door closed Rylee held up her empty bottle of wine, "That reminds me, I broke my record! Eight bottles of Fire Wine!"

"Yes that is great Rylee but can you still get up to your bed?" Galadriel said with a laugh as Rylee frowned.

"Good question, Lemme see," Rylee stood abruptly, the blood rushing to her head and the last bottle of wine hit her full force. She sank back down slowly holding her face between her hands, "My facccee feelssss funnnny an'the roooom twooorls."

"Completely wasted," Jovina shook her head, "We should help her to bed or she will never be up in time for her wedding."

"Naaah! Iii'mmm gooood!" Rylee protested rising again to her feet and stumbling towards the stairs. "I Shwear, I gots thisss!"

Galadriel looked at Rylee and then back at Jovina. She whispered softly, "She is going to be so hung-over in the morning."

Rylee crawled up the stairs hand over hand, until she reached the top, then she pitched herself forward and stumbled into her room and dropped like a sack of potatoes on the bed. The last thing she remembered before closing her eyes and imagining the portal to the Path of Dreams was Galadriel and Jovina as they tucked her into bed. "G'night purty ladies."

"Good night Rylee," Galadriel whispered pulling the blankets up around Rylee.

Rylee walked along the silver gilded Path of Dreams into Lórien, Irmo greeted her, smiled and teased, "Liquid courage doesn't work while you are dreaming Rylee, your mind will stay clear while you are here, and you will remember everything when you wake."

"That's good," Rylee quipped smartly, "I never planned to get quite this drunk. I'm lucky I remembered to envision the portal."

"So why did you drink so much?" Irmo teased her, "You are not getting cold feet are you?"

"What? Me? No, never!" Rylee said, her eyes going wide. Then she whispered, "I am terrified that he won't be there, that Kili will change his mind. I am a complicated person, how can he love someone like me?"

"How could he not? He was made for you, as you were made for him." Irmo told her, reminding her of the way Mahal created all of his dwarves. "Go now, Yavanna waits for you in the Halls of Mandos. She awaits you there with Vairë."

She gave him a quick hug, thanking him and turned in the direction of the Halls. Like Irmo promised last time, it took merely a thought to take her from the Gardens of Lórien to the Halls of Mandos. Within moments she stood in the Halls of the Dead looking at the great tapestries of Vairë. The history of Arda was written there for all to see. The good, the bad, and everything in between, even that which was changed by her actions, like small notations in the book of time. The tapestries were beautiful, even in times that were considered dark there were places of light, where love and merriment was found, and where innocent souls found happiness within each other.

Rylee walked through the halls seeing the stories as they played out until she found the Hall where Vairë, Námo, and Yavanna were gathered. They stood before a tapestry that was not attached to any other, but they all stood facing her. Rylee's heart stopped, she knew that tapestry, she knew this place, and she knew fear. Námo beckoned her forward and she joined them. The tapestry hung there, teasing her, taunting her. She wondered if it was still tattered at the edges, frayed still because of what she did, but she was afraid to look, to see if Vairë had ever been able to mend the damage she had done.

She could not bring her eyes to the silk hanging from its place of honor on the great walls but she could look up at the weaver of the tapestries of life. Vairë was the smallest in height among all of the Valar, only a few inches taller than Rylee, her blonde hair was a deep rich gold that hung in thick curls past her hips. Her irises were the darkest violet in almond shaped eyes, framed with thick gold lashes and thin straight brows. Her cheekbones were high and her face was quite angular. Her odd features combined to create an interesting and exotic visage, Vairë was stunningly gorgeous. She wore a dress with a scooped collar and an empire waist, made of rich silk in violet and lilac hues which only accentuated the gold of her hair and brought attention to her eyes. Eyes that were now guarded as they beheld Rylee and pain speared through Rylee's heart, knowing that she was the cause.

"You cannot go forward without facing the past Rylee," Námo said softly, his voice was gentle, and he caught her chin in his long fingers. He made her meet his eyes, and Rylee blinked back the tears as she felt her throat tighten and her stomach clench. Námo was tall, but not as tall as Mahal, she still had to tilt her head back to look up at him. His black hair flowed into his black robes, making them seem like one and the same. His eyes were black as pitch framed with thick black slanted brows, his eyelashes were impossibly long. Rylee knew of many Elf maids who would love his eyelashes. His mouth was set in an ever grim line in his always stony and stoic face. He was not one to feel pity or deep compassion like his sister and only one soul was ever known to move him emotionally. That one person was Lúthien. Rylee didn't want his pity, she just wanted things to be less cold. She wanted her family back. "Look at it Rylee, look at your tapestry."

She sighed and turned but she kept her eyes low, not ready to look up. The last time she saw her tapestry it was torn in several places, she nearly removed herself out of her own timeline. Finally she took a deep breath and looked up. The edges were knotted with finely spun mithril string, stronger and tighter than the gold that used to edge the massive piece before her. Her personal emblem bordered the sides, with many shades of red and blue, the start of Kili's emblem was woven and interweaved with her own, into the top border indicating the courting braid she wore in her hair. Along the edges from the top down was her story, from the time she was first created to the day she ran away, the events of what occurred when she was in Middle-Earth for those few weeks. Her return, recovery, and the training that followed, everything was there.

It was odd, in a way, to see her entire life written like a picture story within the borders of the fine silk. The intermingling images of the dragons she killed beside with the friends she made on the way, it was surreal to her. Every battle she ever fought was there in living color, the images moving before her eyes. In the very center the silk was a clear pale blue, smooth as a sheet of glass, bright, reflective, the image beyond was of a young Dwarrowdam sleeping, still as a stone, tucked into her bed in Rivendell. Rylee knew that if she even touched the tapestry she would be pulled into it, only this time her soul would be permanently separated from her body, since she was only here in spirit and not in true form.

At one time she would have been tempted to reach out towards it, not this time. This time it took everything within her to stand before her personal tapestry and look for the damage that was once done. She could still see the tears, three long carefully mended lines that connected the Dragon Gostir to Ancalagon the Black, though Vairë had done a wonderful job at mending them and pulling the fabric of time back together. What was created out of it was an image of complicated beauty that spoke of fragility, vulnerability, and renewed strength. Vairë met her eyes and smiled softly, "It could not have been done without you Rylee. The decisions you made, the battles you fought, each one of them helped place a stitch that helped to mend the damage. It will never be as perfect as it once was, but it will be that much more beautiful due to the imperfections."

Námo stood behind her running his fingers over the three lines that cut across the fine silk, and Rylee shivered. "These three tears were once weak, pulling on a single thread would make the whole thing unravel. They nearly did several times as you watched us bicker and fight over your welfare, the day that Ilúvatar told us to back off, when you fought with Thorin and he told you to stop calling him Adad, and when you pushed us all away out of anger and hurt. The rips spread."

He showed her the smaller rips, where they spread from the edges of the larger ones. "Then you spoke to Ilúvatar and he gave you the Rose and the Star. We do not know what he told you or what you said to him but from that moment on, the stitches held and Vairë was able to start mending the damage."

Rylee reached up and clutched the Rose that sat on her chest. The familiar weight of it in her hand soothed her, but she missed the feel of the Star, she missed the connection to Eru. She remembered when he gave it to her. He never said a word, he let her hug him and sob into his encompassing form, then he placed the Rose and Star around her neck. Neither of them said a thing to each other. It wasn't needed. He knew that she was sorry and she knew that he forgave her and only wanted her to be strong. That was the day she decided that she would prove to her family that she was still worthy of their love, and Yavanna and Nienna would look at her again with something other than disappointment in their eyes. That was the day she vowed to herself that she would make Thorin proud of her again, that some day he would call her nâtha like he did when she was young.

When people said that they could see their lives pass before their eyes in moments of near death, Rylee knew that it was not their lives they were watching, but they were viewing the tapestry that they were written into. There was one time that her tapestry was not part of the others, she was not linked to any person, place, or thing. Because of what she was, she would never be truly linked to the time line of Arda. This was done on purpose, to ensure that she could be brought back and then merged into another place in another tapestry. Now she noticed that with each quest, she had threads that tied her permanently into the history of the world. With every quest her tapestry was being bound to the others.

"It is to keep me from going back, isn't it?" Rylee asked quietly, turning away from the tapestry. "The deeds that I have done are permanent now, aren't they?"

"As you know, Ilúvatar has decided that this is to be your last quest," Yavanna said softly. She was still looking at the tapestry, "because of that we must bind your life to the others, that way-."

"If I am captured or turned by Sauron, he cannot use my threads to change the past in his favor," Rylee said in a moment of epiphany. "I refuse to fall, and I refuse to fail. I will not become like him."

She turned to walk away, trying not to feel hurt that they still thought her so weak. It was one thing for her to doubt herself, it was another to know that her family did too. She still had so much work to do to make amends for her past actions. Námo stopped her with his hand upon her shoulder, "We know you won't Rylee."

"You did not let Yavanna finish," Vairë said softly, her voice sad.

Rylee looked up at her mother and finally Yavanna met her eyes. For the first time in fifty years Rylee looked directly into the vivid green of her mother's eyes. "We are binding your tapestry to the others, that way, when you succeed, you will be able to stay with Kili."

"Kili. My tapestry will be tied to his?" Rylee asked hesitantly.

Vairë smiled brightly, "You didn't see it, but your tapestry has always been tied to his, from the day of your birth you have been destined to find each other."

"Oh, please, Mahal dropped me on Kili's lap, I didn't have to look all that hard. Keeping him has been harder than finding him," Rylee quipped to Vairë and Námo, both smiled back. She sobered and looked at both of them standing together in their great halls. "I am very sorry for the trouble that I caused for you and everyone else. I swear I will make it up to you."

"We know you will, Rylee Emitheral," Námo said his face once again stoic and serious. "You are forgiven, but you know you must continue to make amends."

"It is only way to keep the weave tight and strong," Vairë added to her husband's words. It was an admonition and Rylee knew it. She choked down the thickness in her throat, pushed back the tears that threatened and nodded once in understanding.

"We should go, Rylee," Yavanna said sternly, "we have much to discuss before you see your beloved tomorrow."

Rylee followed Yavanna, staying just a half a step behind her. She was terrified to meet her mother's eyes again for fear that she would still see the weight of disappointment within them. Instead Rylee studied her profile. Yavanna was tall and thin, willowy in every way. She was very much like the trees that were so dear to her. Tall, strong, and proud, her feet stood solid on the ground as though with every step she was rooting herself within the rich soil beneath her, and yet her movements were graceful and lithe, like reaching branches swaying in the wind.

The roots of her hair were a deep dark earthy brown that slowly lightened until the middle where the ends turned various shades of green. The very tips were as vivid as the bright vivid green of her eyes. A wreath of leaves, flowers, and berries graced her brow, long tendrils of vines grew off of it, twining within her hair. A fool would think that the crown grew from her body, but Rylee knew that every evening Yavanna would take of the beautiful trailing crown set into a large dish filled with water and nutrients to make it grow.

Every night Mahal would come to her and brush her multicolored hair until it glistened in the starlight. These were the memories of her childhood. Rylee seated on the floor in front of Yavanna, her mother brushing her as yet unbraided hair, while Rylee bit her lips and tried not to cry. While Mahal stood behind his wife brushing her wondrous locks, weaving braids into it to keep it from becoming tangled in the night. When they were done, Yavanna would pull Rylee into a hug and tell her how brave she was for letting her brush her hair. Even long after Rylee could brush her own hair they would do this, it was a simple moment of time together as a family. She held back a sob, she dearly missed those moments.

The moved as quick as a thought to the great pastures where creatures of unexplainable origin roamed freely. Rylee loved this place, there was an aura about it that allowed her to just be. The animals didn't run in fear at their approach but neither did they approach them. Finally, there in the middle of the pastures, Yavanna slowed to a stop and Rylee stopped beside her.

"As much as I want to say that I forgive you Rylee, I don't know if it is as easy as that," Yavanna told her quietly. Rylee knew this was coming, some of the harshest things Rylee said were to her mother. Of all of the Valar, Yavanna and Nienna were the ones who Rylee was the most vile to. "You pinned us against each other, you tried to manipulate us to get what you wanted and when it didn't work you resorted to insults and snide remarks. Then you ran away, I was so worried and angry at the same time. I could not believe that you could be so-."

"Stupid?" Rylee whispered through the lump in her throat, "Cowardly, naïve, reckless, impudent, abhorrent? I am all of those and worse, I know, I am reminded of it every day."

"I was going to say childish," Yavanna gasped through a sob of her own, she had not realized how deeply Rylee blamed herself. "But then we had forgotten that you were just a child, only twenty three, you weren't even grown into your adult body. When you returned, how much of our fighting did you hear and see?"

"All of it and I knew that I did that to you," Rylee no longer tried to stop the tears as she remembered the aftermath. The pushing, the shoving, the name calling, and the accusations amongst the Valar as they tried to deal with the damage that Rylee created. Her own bodily injuries, the fact that she was hovering close to death. Tearing the tapestry, severing the timeline and nearly seeing her future self killing Ancalagon the Black, all of these things led to a battle that Eru had to put an end to. By telling the others to walk away, to see what they were allowing to happen, to see how the actions of one rebellious child affected them. "When Eru told everyone to take a step back, I did the same."

"You shut us out Rylee, all of us and that hurt more than the words you spoke." Yavanna said holding her fist in front of her heart. "Every time I tried to talk to you about it, it was like you put a wall up."

"I want to fix it Yavanna," Rylee choked out, "The rift I caused between you and Nienna and myself. I tore apart the strongest friendship among the Valar and I want to fix it."

"Nienna and I worked everything out long ago, when Vairë showed us how you would plant a seedling and use your own tears to bless it," Yavanna turned to Rylee and placed her long tapered fingers on Rylee's shoulders. Rylee met her eyes, tear streaming down both their faces. "Your blessing and your prayer moved us both forward. We just wished you could have told us in person."

"I was-, I am afraid," Rylee sobbed, she felt like she was shaking like one of Yavanna's leaves, "It took me eight bottles of Fire Wine just to gather the courage to open the portal. I was terrified to visit you, I-, I hate seeing the hurt and disappointment in your eyes. I am so, so sorry for disgracing you."

"Oh my darling little Rylee," Yavanna hauled Rylee into her arms, hugging her fiercely, "Stop blaming yourself for what happened, we were the adults and without even realizing it, we put this huge weight of responsibility on your shoulders. A child should not carry the weight of the world. When you recovered, we tried to fix it but it was too late, you were bound and determined to train harder. The child within you was gone and only Aulë and Thorin could get through to you."

Rylee didn't say anything, she could barely breathe past the hard lump in her throat and the mucous filling her nose, her head felt full and her eyes raw from the tears. There was no way that she could say anything to Yavanna. Besides the raw emotion of being hugged by her mother for the first time in fifty years was too much to overcome, all she could do was hug her back and try not to ruin her rich brown and green silk robes by crying on them.

"The Valar are not perfect Rylee," Yavanna whispered in her ear, rubbing her hand soothingly up and down her back, "We too make mistakes."

Yavanna pulled pack and pulled out a silk handkerchief, handing it to Rylee, "Come, let's get you cleaned up. I did not mean for this to be a time of sadness between us. We have a wedding to prepare you for and I have a dear friend that I would like you to meet."

They moved to a small cottage that Yavanna kept in a treed portion of her pastures and Rylee went into the washroom to clean away the remnants of her tears and used a cold cloth to sooth her red eyes. When she returned to the main room Yavanna settled her at the small table and prepared tea for three. She was just placing the last piece of lembas on a plate when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in Eärwen," Yavanna called softly and the door swept open to reveal a stunningly familiar Elf Maiden. Her hair was unlike her daughter's as it was made of silver starlight instead of silky strands of silver and gold. Her daughter did have her eyes and the shape of their face and nose was identical as well. They both shared a regal grace and poise, both of them were tall and lithe, yet Eärwen was not near as tall as Galadriel. "Eärwen, I would like you to meet my daughter Rylee Emitheral."

"I am honored to finally meet the child who has brought my daughter so much joy," Eärwen said as Rylee stood to greet her.

"The honor is mine, my Lady," Rylee smiled, her voice still felt raw from her tears.

"Please, you must call me Eärwen," She scoffed taking Rylee's hand in both of hers. She silently appraised the daughter of Aulë and Yavanna and grinned as she found the small spark of mischief that always seemed to live within the child's eyes. "We watch you two together through your tapestries. Somehow you are always nearby when she needs you to cover for her, and you are always the one to witness her least graceful moments."

"So you have seen everything?" Rylee asked incredulously, she motioned to the table offering Eärwen a seat and a cup of tea and some Lembas. Once they were all settled the conversation carried on like there was no pause.

"The only thing we ever missed was your first meeting," Eärwen smiled down at Rylee, "All we know is that she has sworn you to secrecy."

Rylee felt her cheeks burn with no small amount of embarrassment, "Even last night, the um-."

"Burping contest?" Yavanna laughed at Rylee's mortification, "and you getting completely drunk, which by the way you are going to feel very ill in the morning. I will make you a tea, I want you to take it back with you, drink it first thing."

"Yavanna, could you make Galadriel a tonic?" Eärwen said with a knowing smile, and she met her friend's eyes, "We both know what happens when she allows herself to get gassy like this."

Rylee looked between the two women and wondered what on earth they were talking about. Then Eärwen turned to Rylee, "I find it amusing that you also call her Nerwen. It seems to me that the name is even more fitting now than it was when she was a youth. I never would have imagined; ale drinking and burping contests, along with mud baths, pranks, and tripping into piles of manure."


	26. Finding Bliss

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's and that which I have created.**

**** Warning ** there is lemon/smut in this chapter, whatever you prefer to call it, this story does contain it. ** I find it amusing that everyone goes silent when there is smut, there is nothing to be ashamed of, it is a natural and normal part of a relationship, if I did a good job let me know. If you PM me your review it will remain anonymous. Otherwise there is plenty of other stuff going on that you can comment on. **

**Oh and regarding Shiva's review, I will try to come up with a drawing or painting of the wedding, but if there is anyone else out there who wants to take up the challenge of painting the wedding scene please PM me. I would love to see your work!**

**To my super awesome and amazing reviewers, much love to you all! :D**

**Axle Beau, ro781727, Ragdoll Princess, Shiva, Stylin'Fire, Pint-sized She-Bear, Nezar-KingoftheDead**

**I really appreciate all the kind words. **

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Chapter 26

Finding Bliss

June 11

The day dawned bright and glorious. The brightness of it made her eyes feel like they were going to burst beneath the brilliance of it. Rylee rolled over and groaned as the world spun around her. The pounding in her head was relentless and her stomach kept turning over and over again.

"Stop. Please stop spinning," She whispered to the room in general. She tried to extricate herself from the bedspread and heavy furs that covered her, only to end up falling to the floor in her exertions.

"Ow," she grunted as she crawled to the washroom to use the toilet and try to clean herself up. She did her business then washed her hands and scrubbed her face. The moment she stood, the room spun wildly and she swayed on her feet, barely clutching the countertop to catch herself before falling unceremoniously to the floor. She groaned in pain, felt oddly warm, her mouth tasted like slough water, and she had the sudden violent urge to throw up. She rose and stumbled just far enough to make it to the toilet when the contents of her stomach rose violently up her throat. She retched again and again. Finally she sat back and curled up on the wonderfully freezing stone floor. Never had she felt so feverish, violated, sick, or completely stupid. What was she thinking, drinking eight bottles of Fire wine? Four got her drunk, eight was just plain idiocy.

"Never again Ry, you are never doing that again," Rylee promised herself. Ironically she remembered making that same promise almost seven years ago, after ten flagons of ale and six and a half bottles of fire wine. "This time, I mean it."

It didn't take long for the floor to warm beneath her and suddenly she was on fire once again. 'Oh not again,' she thought to herself as her stomach clenched painfully. She climbed back up and hovered over the bowl of the toilet and retched once again. 'So stupid, I am so stupid.' She thought as she pulled the long chain on the wall and the little chute opened to discard the contents and Rylee crawled out of the washroom.

She looked at the wide windows and realized that darkness still fell over the valley of Rivendell. For a long moment Rylee wondered where the earlier brightness came from, but it was too much thought for someone in her predicament. She needed to find her black satchel, the same one where Yavanna's tea and the mysterious Tonic for Galadriel were awaiting her. Her head was pounding and she could barely see through her own eyes, she just could not focus on any one thing. After rummaging around in the heavy wooden wardrobe she found the bag and then she had to search within it for several minutes before she found what she was looking for. Purely by feel, she found her tea.

She stumbled down the stairs and found a pot of hot water waiting for her on the table for her fortification tea, but this time Rylee dumped the packet of herbs that Yavanna made for her into her heavy cup instead. After letting it steep for exactly five minutes, like Yavanna instructed, she chugged it. She drank it all and consumed the leaves just like Yavanna prescribed. It was absolutely disgusting. It tasted worse than dragon blood and that stuff was toxic. She sat at the table in the same clothes that she wore the day before and looked at the wood grains as they came in and out of focus. It took a quarter of an hour before the concoction hit her, her stomach settled, her head cleared, and her equilibrium was restored. Rylee rose and looked around her marveling at her speedy recovery.

"I love you Yavanna," Rylee whispered before bouncing back up the stairs. She went back to her satchel and looked within, grabbing the bottle of tonic that was inside and raced back down the stairs. Whatever was wrong with Galadriel needed to be fixed, they would never have given her the Tonic if it wasn't important. Rylee looked around for Mikhaul, but she was nowhere to be seen, but then she had been coming and going for days, often coming back absolutely exhausted, which was rare for an equine such as her.

Rylee ran down the streets towards the main house, it was still early, there was no one out on the streets, the sun had not yet risen over the horizon, and Rylee wondered for a moment what it was that woke her. Was it just the fact that she had stumbled through the silver foliage that marked the Path of Dreams and into the dawn of this new day? Rylee shook off the thoughts and ran through the silent halls of the Last Homely House. Her feet barely even touched the ground, trying to be as silent as Oromë taught her to be.

Finally she reached Galadriel's door tapping lightly on it. She could hear her friend on the other side of the door shuffling around. Finally Rylee whispered, "Galadriel, open up, it's me Rylee."

The door swung open and Galadriel bodily hauled Rylee in before soundlessly closing and latching the door. Galadriel looked completely stricken and Rylee snorted. "What? What is it?"

"It won't stop," Galadriel whispered, but every word came out as a mutilated belch. She was about to talk when it happened again, "Of all days to get burp-ups! It is your wedding day!"

The last word of her sentence came out on a low belch and Rylee started to laugh. Galadriel shot her a glare, then burp-upped again when she was about to say something. Rylee was holding out a small vial for her to take. It looked like perfume and Galadriel ignored it, she just bathed, she knew for a fact she didn't need perfume. She finished dressing and then went striding out of the room and down the halls, Rylee following in her wake.

"Here, take this," Rylee said as she followed in Galadriel's wake, wondering where she was going. Galadriel didn't even seem to hear her, she just continued down the halls in silent determination, the only noise she was making were the periodic burp-ups that came and went. Rylee giggled softly, holding her hand over her mouth, trying not to make any sound. Then she remembered Eärwen's words about this happening before and Rylee snorted in amusement. "Oh now I get it! This happened the last time we had a burping contest too! Don't you remember Galadriel?"

"I remember that I was able to hide-," She burped out again and released a slightly longer burp and a loud hiccup before she could go on, burping the words the entire time, "away all day. I cannot go out there like this! It would embarrass Elrond and my grandsons, and it's your wedding Rylee! I am never doing that again."

"Funny you should say that, I just made the same promise," Rylee said with a small smirk, just like she recalled her own vow earlier that morning, she recalled Galadriel making the same one once years before. She tried again to hand Galadriel the vial, "You gonna take this or not?"

"I don't need perfume, Hic-uuurrrp," Galadriel burped out, she sighed in frustration and continued down the hall intent on finding a cure as another fit of burp-ups spilled from her lips.

"But this-," Rylee started following after her friend.

"How are you not freaking out?" Galadriel belched out followed by several more burp-ups.

Luckily there was no one in the halls to witness the pair of them rushing along. Once again Rylee tried handing the vial to Galadriel but she turned away down the next corridor and around a corner into the large kitchen. 'Do I smell bad? Why does she keep handing me that damn perfume?' Galadriel thought as she looked around the kitchen, to make sure no one was within, then she started rummaging through the herbs that were drying and those that were already ground-up and in pots. Rylee chuckled at her as she rifled through things grumbling as she searched for something in particular. "What are you looking for? Maybe I can help you find it?"

"Mint or ginger, they should both be with the live plants, the dried powders would be in with the spices, but I don't see them here," Galadriel burped out in frustration. Then she looked at Rylee for a long moment as two more Burp-ups passed, "How are you not hung over?"

"Oh, well I was hung over," Rylee told her friend with her eyes wide and her hands held up, the small vial still in her hand. "The entire room was spinning when I got out of bed."

"So?" Galadriel had to pause again, but nothing happened, then she burped, "What's your secret?"

"Tea," Rylee said with a smirk, "I saw Yavanna last night and she gave me a tea to fix it. Why do you need ginger or mint? I have a-"

"Brrrreppp,hcUP!" Galadriel closed her mouth and frowned. Then she tried again, but still it all came out as a long stream of belched words, "Just help me find it please. No one can hear me like this."

"The mint and ginger are not here, maybe look in the Healing Halls, they should have some there," Rylee suggested, as she rifled through the hanging plants in the kitchen.

"You know, Yavanna made you a Tonic. I think you ought to try it first?" Rylee said turning around, Galadriel was gone. Rylee chased her down sneaking out of the main building under the cover of darkness, the sun was just barely brightening the horizon as she caught up to Galadriel at the main doors of the Healing Halls near the training fields. It was silent within and they ran into the main Apothecary mixing room. The walls were lined with herbs, leaves, flowers, and pre mixed teas of every kind. There were plants of every nature hanging from the roof slowly drying to be crushed. There were metal shelves lining the windows with living plants of great variety growing where the sun would reach. Rylee sat the vial on the counter beside her friend and ordered her, "Take that, it will make you better."

Galadriel started rummaging through the pre-mixed tea to see if she could find something that would cure the never ending burp-ups that seemed to come at the most inopportune moments. She burped out, "Oh Rylee, to think that we had all that fun, only to be stuck in this predicament."

Galadriel slapped her hand on the counter making the small glass vial tip and rolled to the edge. Rylee charged towards her and dived, her hand just barely breaking the fall of the vial before it rolled to the stone floor. She caught it mid roll and held it up in celebration, a huge grin spreading across her face.

"Not for long," Rylee practically sang to her and Galadriel turned towards Rylee in wonder. Rylee held the vial up before her friend, "Your mother asked Yavanna to make you this. She said it will sooth your stomach, those amazing little friends of yours will go away, and your voice will be normal again."

"How long have you had that?" Galadriel burped and looked at the small vial and then at her friend.

Rylee laughed and tried once again to hand it to Galadriel, "How many times have I tried handing it to you this morning? You are one determined man-maiden! Remind me never to get in your way when hunting."

"I thought it was perfume!" Galadriel burped shaking her head.

Rylee looked at her and started to laugh, "Why would I give you perfume? You obviously just bathed and it's not like you took a recent dive in the mud."

"So I don't have to hide in my room!" Galadriel burped as she grinned, taking the little bottle from Rylee. To think she had been trying to give her the vial all this time and she thought it was perfume. "Thank Ilúvatar for my mother!"

Galadriel cracked open the bottle and drank the contents, one last burp came up as the liquid spilled down her throat. It took everything in Galadriel to keep the vile liquid from coming back up. What was it with cures and tasting disgusting? Galadriel's face screwed up into the most vibrant picture of disgust Rylee had ever seen and she began to laugh. Galadriel looked at Rylee clutching her sides, gasping for breath and she started to laugh too. Soon they were both sitting on the floor leaning on the wall holding their sides.

"I can't believe you thought I was chasing you around for a bottle of perfume!" Rylee laughed as she caught her breath, "You are just too much!"

"I was in a panic! This hasn't happened in six thousand years and the last time I was able to spend the day in my room relaxing," Galadriel protested, her voice came out in its normal natural smoothness. She clutched her throat and a small throaty chuckle left her as she went on, "I was thinking of you, you brat! Instead you spent half the dawn chasing me around with a pretty little vial. How in the world did Yavanna give you a cure? How did my mother even know?"

Rylee laughed at the shocked look on Galadriel's face, "They watch us in our tapestries. You know, keeping tabs, watching our contests and shenanigans. The number of times I have covered your arse, that was mentioned too. Though they missed seeing how we met. They wanted to know if you would let me tell them the secret."

"Mother has seen all of that?" Galadriel said with amusement.

"Aye. She says that Nerwen suits you even better now than when you were young," Rylee snickered at her. "She told me she gave you the name because of how tall you grew and your athletic endeavors. Apparently you have always loved hunting, fishing, and the like. She never thought that you would become so interested in all of the other manly contests. Eärwen especially enjoyed the burping contests last night."

"Haha! Yes!" Galadriel cried and started to laugh, she snorted in her mirth, which caused Rylee to fall back into a fit of laugher and Galadriel laughed herself to tears, "To get a compliment like that from my mother, of all people. What a wonderful way to start a wedding day!"

"It has definitely been interesting," Rylee laughed softly as she stood and pulled Galadriel to her feet before walking to the door. "I have to go now. I have a wedding to get ready for."

"Oh Rylee?" Galadriel said, "You can tell mother about how we met, Yavanna too. It only seems fitting that our mother's know where our friendship began. I think it would be amusing for her to see what I was wearing."

She turned to leave when she heard a commotion down the hall. Immediately, she was concerned by the ruckus and headed in that direction. Galadriel was on her heels, concern written all over her face. Several healers were running to and from a room and Radagast was standing outside with Elrond. Elrond had a dire and broken look about his face as Radagast was trying to explain what he found, "I found her in a camp of men, trussed up like a-, a-"

"I grasp that she was tied up," Elrond said patiently, his voice a hushed whisper, "But what was she doing there? She was playing harp at dinner last night and was seen by her peers walking home. Her parents said she never arrived. So how did she get from here into a camp of men miles down the southern fork of the river?"

"Who is it?" Rylee asked as she reached them. She peered into the room as the door opened and her eyes went wide. "She was supposed to come to the House of Aulë last night, she never showed. I thought perhaps she had other plans."

Rylee pushed forward into the room, to Lerain's bedside. The girl looked up at her through blackened eyes. Her nose was crooked indicating a break, and there were small cuts and bruises covering her barely covered body. Rylee took her hand. "You will be all right Lerain. I swear it."

"I fell My Lady," Lerain gasped through the pain, her voice was nasal due to the break in her nose. "I was walking home-, on a lower bridge and I slipped. Stupid klutz," Lerain started to cough, tears streamed from her eyes. "I was in the water, tried to get to-," more coughing as she spit up milky water, the healers turned her on her side so she wouldn't choke on it. When she could speak again, Lerain continued on, "get to shore. When I woke I – I was tied. They-, the men-, they-. I should have been more careful! It's all my fault!"

She started to sob inconsolably, and Rylee didn't need to be told what the men did. She knew. She looked up and saw Galadriel in the doorway staring down at the young elleth. She looked almost as crushed as Lerain. Rylee knew that she was reliving the pain of Celebrian all over again in her mind. The same look had been on Elrond's face just moments before. Galadriel should not be here, she should not be here for this. Rylee caught her eye, "Go get Jovina. Galadriel, go get her now!"

Once Galadriel was gone, Rylee looked back at Lerain, "No matter what Lerain, this was not your fault."

"We have to set your nose Miss Lerain, it is going to hurt. Can you give her something to squeeze?" Lerain looked up at Rylee and gripped her hand even tighter, as Rylee whispered to her that she was strong and a warrior. Rylee nodded to the healers and they moved in to straighten Lerain's nose. There was a soft crunch as the cartilage settled back into place and Lerain screamed at the pain. When they were done her nose was set back in a straight line and they placed heavy cotton into her nostrils, making her gasp for breath as she sobbed loudly.

"Daeron won't love me anymore," Lerain sobbed and Rylee's heart fractured, "I have been defiled. I am ugly. I am nothing now."

"No. No Lerain," Rylee said clutching her hand. Rylee relived a time in which she found Jovina in her first quest, the circumstances were eerily similar. "You are a warrior, strong and mighty, you are worthy of great love. Those who win over darkness are sacred among the Valar. You are Malagnûna."

"What does that mean?" Lerain gasped as the healers cleaned the blood away from her body. A cloth covered her hips and knees where the healer worked trying to repair the damage done to the innocent maiden.

"It is Khuzdul and it means 'she who is sacred'," Jovina said from the doorway, Galadriel standing just behind her. Both of them looked stricken both for different reasons. "You are like me."

"How can I be sacred when I have been dishonored?" Lerain gasped through the pain of the ministrations.

"It was a vile act against your person, nothing more, nothing less. It was a Dark Shadow that has stained your life. Now when blessings enter it you will be more thankful for the joys they bring," Jovina told her sagely, she spoke from her heart, "They may have harmed your body, but your soul is intact, your spirit fights on. You still have innocence in your heart and in your soul. If this Daeron loves you, then he will accept this as what it is, a minor setback in a long life."

"How do you know?" Lerain said sharply, glaring at Jovina with the fighting spirit that lived within the elleth.

"Because the same thing happened to me," Jovina whispered softly. "Rylee helped me through it."

Radagast and Elrond stood in the doorway watching Rylee and Jovina as they tried to soothe the elleth, they both wanted to help the healers do their spells to strengthen Lerain's body. Elrond had no idea that Rylee had witnessed such an atrocity at such a young age, and he knew nearly nothing of Jovina Malagnûna other than what he had heard and what he sensed. They gathered around the bed and Lerain looked up at them in fear. She gripped Rylee's hand even tighter and whispered, "Please Emitheral, don't leave me."

"I must go Lerain, if you are to be healed then I need to leave and I want you healed." Rylee whispered softly. She brushed a kiss over the girl's forehead. "Jovina will come see you when the healers are done. She is going to help you through this."

"Emitheral?" Lerain refused to release her hand, "Can I still come to the wedding?"

"I forgot about the wedding!" Rylee said, her eyes going wide as she looked up at Jovina and Galadriel, "We should postpone it."

"You are not putting off your wedding!" Jovina nearly hollered at Rylee, making everyone in the room jump. Then she spoke softly looking at Lerain and Rylee, "Lerain is going to allow the healers to do their work. Then I am going to talk with her for a bit and she will be at the wedding this evening. You are not putting off your wedding."

"Please Emitheral, She is right, don't delay your wedding for me," Lerain shook her head adamantly. "I just want to know if you still want me to come."

"Oh Lerain," Rylee whispered leaning close, tears filled her eyes. "You would be most welcome at the wedding but only if you feel up to it."

Jovina pulled Rylee and Galadriel out of the room. Rylee knew that Galadriel's powers could help the girl heal, but the dark memories that played in Galadriel's eyes bothered Rylee. As soon as the doors closed and the hallway emptied of people the normally serene Elf Maiden broke.

"They had her for days, torturing her, brutalizing her, beating her. Elrond said she was nearly unrecognizable when the twins found her. They poisoned her and were watching her die," Galadriel whispered as silent tears rolled down her face. She was talking about Celebrian, not Lerain, the grief ate at her, even after hundreds of years, "He healed her body but she could not get through the memories. She woke screaming every night, I stayed here for a time, Elrond and I would take turns going to her. Nothing we said or-, or did helped. She would cry for days and scream at shadows that crossed the walls. What they did to her-, it tore her apart."

Rylee took her friend's hands in her own and led her to the benches that lined the wall. Rylee sat on one side and Jovina on the other. "Lerain is not Celebrian. Radagast found her early, hopefully early enough that we can help her to find the light within her again. It will not be easy for her and she will have to contend with the memories and the horror. Jovina and I will help her."

"How can you know of these things Rylee?" Galadriel said looking at her through tear veiled eyes. She clutched Rylee's hand in her own and Jovina put hers on top.

"You have seen my soul Galadriel, you feel darkness within others better than almost everyone," Rylee furrowed her brow and looked up at her friend, "You cannot tell me that you have not seen it."

"Her portents and her dreams," Jovina whispered, her voice was hollow, as though living in her own memories, but there was strength there too. "I remember when Rylee stayed with me, her dreams were so vivid that there were times that she would wake up screaming certain that she had been violated in the most horrible ways."

"Malagnûna, 'She who is Sacred', you never told me why Rylee started calling you that," Galadriel whispered as she looked between the two Dwarrowdams. They looked at each other, in silent conversation. Jovina took a deep breath.

"I am so sorry Jo-," Rylee started but Jovina cut her off.

"Do you remember how I had built my cottage just outside the protection of Doriath, just off the road a ways?" Jovina asked quietly and Galadriel nodded in remembrance. "After the werewolf you tried to convince me to move at least within the protection of the Girdle but I refused, not wanting to start all over again. Rylee would stay with me when she was in the area so she could train with the whip and the fire."

"I remember, you finally moved into Doriath a couple of months later, after Rylee returned from Gondolin." Galadriel wiped away her tears. Jovina's other hand joined the first in Galadriel's hold.

Jovina nodded, frowned for a moment, and looked back at Galadriel. There was steel in her spine as she sat even straighter and pride flashed in her eyes. "I was attacked by a group of Orcs and Men, I killed three or four using a kitchen knife before they could do anything but I was overpowered. They had me for days, Rylee found me after the third passing of the moon, she slayed the Orcs and the men."

"She was broken, her spirit, her body, her soul. I carried her into Menegroth and the healers there took care of her body, helped her to heal" Rylee whispered looking down at the floor as she recalled the blood and cuts and bruises that covered Jovina's body. "Thingol refused to allow her to go back to her cottage. He had a place built for her above ground but within the protection of Melian's Girdle. Her Ox, chickens, and livestock were moved to the new place."

"It didn't matter where I lived, I was ready to give up," Jovina said on a choked sob, she pushed back the tears and took a steadying breath. "I had a cup of poison in my hand ready to end my life when Rylee told me that I could not leave her. She said, 'You are my Mother of Middle-Earth that Eru sent me to find. I just found you, you cannot leave me now. You are Malagnûna. You are as sacred to me as you are to the Valar.' She was right, because she was the daughter of my heart and I could not bear to part with her."

Silence fell between the three as they sat there, all of their hands entwined in Galadriel's lap. "It makes me wonder, if you were here for Celebrian, if you could have spoken to her like you did Lerain, like you did with Jovina, would she have stayed? I miss her so."

"I wish I could have tried, but the time is long past and all I can do now is ask for news when I return to Aman," Rylee vowed quietly, looking up at Galadriel. "If you wish to give her something, a token or a letter, I can get it to her."

"I will-, I mean, I do have something for you to give her," Galadriel said softly. She looked at the doors and heard the familiar chanting coming from within. "How do we help her? How do we help Lerain?"

"I will stay with her for a while once the healers are done. It helps to talk about it, to someone who has been through a similar situation." Jovina said quietly studying the door. "I will help her talk it out. I want to know what she remembers from beginning to end, from there we will find a way to bring her some closure. We will have to talk to this Daeron, tell him what has happened. He has a choice to make regarding her, he may not want to stay with her knowing that earning her love will be that much harder."

"She will need her family and friends there to support her, not be there all the time, not smother her with affection, mind you. Just be there when she breaks down, listen when she wants to talk, and hold her when she is feeling low." Rylee said softly as she remembered what worked best with Jovina. "We will need to tell her a thousand times that this was not her fault. She needs to be reminded that she is a survivor, a fighter, and a warrior. That she is sacred."

"Then we will need to remind her a thousand more," Jovina said with a small smile, "Do not be surprised if she suddenly has a desire to learn how to wield a weapon and learn to protect herself."

"Jovina harassed me to teach her to use a sword but she had no finesse, daggers were no good either, her skill with a whip was for the ox only, so I taught her to use a staff," Rylee smiled sadly as she remembered teaching Jovina, just as Jovina was teaching her to use her magic.

"Other than time, all we can do is offer her our support and our love," Jovina finished as Daeron and Glorfindel charged down the hall.

"Where is she? Where is Lerain?" Daeron looked beside himself in panic and Galadriel swept to her feet stopping him before he could enter her room.

"She is within, they are healing her body," Galadriel said softly, her age old wisdom took over and she looked at Jovina and Rylee. "Rylee you should go, the sun has long risen and Rohinna will be affright when she sees you not in your rooms. Jovina and I will talk to Daeron."

Rylee nodded and stood, then she looked at Daeron, "From that first night you were smitten, I saw it then Daeron. Darkness has fallen upon Lerain. If what is in your heart is true, do not let her push you away."

"What do you mean Emitheral? What has happened to Lerain?" Daeron demanded looking at her then at Jovina and Galadriel. Jovina pushed Rylee towards the exit and she reluctantly walked away. She sobbed when she heard Daeron's anguished voice cry out and something hit the wall. Rylee could only hope that he would heed her words and hold his beloved close to his heart. Unable to handle the intensity of the emotions anymore Rylee ran back to her little house in the corner of the city, tears welling in her eyes.

Upon her arrival Rohinna ushered her upstairs and into the bathroom. Rylee explained briefly what happened to Lerain, without going into detail, as she unraveled the Valar braid that was still in her hair. Then she stripped and sank into the relaxing heat of her bathtub. When she rose to wash her hair she explained to Rohinna what Lerain would need from them. Rylee knew that she would only be there for another week or so, Lerain would need support long after Rylee and Jovina were gone. Rohinna was the perfect person to provide such guidance since she was there to help Jovina.

Rylee brushed out her hair, enjoying the way it fell and feeling thankful that she no longer had to wear the Valar braid. She looked at her hair in the glass and the braids for her quests, she wanted to change them. They were already taking up so much of her hair and it had been years since she changed her style. Today was the perfect day for change. Rylee unbraided the four braids and rewashed her hair, removing the kinks from the braids. Finally, she twined new braids into her hair, using all five pairs of quest clasps in each braid.

Then Rohinna helped her dress in a simple blue gown. Rylee didn't feel she had anything appropriate for a wedding. She considered wearing her whip and her axes, as she always did, since they were such a part of who she was but in the end she decided against it. She did not want to show up for her union with Kili looking as though she was ready for war. It did not feel right to her. She told this to Rohinna and was surprised to hear the seer agree wholeheartedly, considering it was Rohinna who once advised her to never be without a weapon. Once dressed, she met Jovina and went to Elihara and Elorin's house in order to complete their tasks for the day.

Jovina assured her that appearance wise, Lerain looked almost fully healed, other than some faint bruising, which she could cover with powder. The elleth promised to be at the wedding and Daeron promised to never leave her side and dance every dance with her if she wanted. When she tried to push him away, like Rylee thought she might, Daeron asked her to marry him. Lerain cried and tried to come up with every reason for him to leave her and for every reason he gave her another to stay. Jovina said it was likely the most romantic moment she had ever witnessed. Rylee still felt somewhat guilty for allowing her wedding to go ahead while something so serious had taken place, but Jovina assured her that Lerain was adamant that the wedding continue as planned.

Rylee's thoughts turned to Jovina and how she had suddenly arrived in this time. Every time Rylee tried to bring up what happened to Jovina or the magic training that they would be doing, the Dwarrowdam would brush it off and tell her that they would have time for talking once Rylee was married and her honeymoon over. Until that time, they would not speak of the past or the future. When Rylee persisted, Jovina looked her directly in the eye and said, "Today is your day, Rylee Emitheral, there has already been too much drama. We will not allow it to be marred by trivial things. Focus on what is happening right now and live within these moments. There will be time for reflection later."

"Fine but I will hold you to that," Rylee said, chagrined. She turned back to her task of collecting and cleaning crystal goblets that would be used by the guests during the ceremony.

Thanks to Kili and his courting gift of procuring the Armory in the previous days, she was able to create the clasps to mark their union, and it would only complement what he already wore in his hair. As for the blood bond, Kili was to wear a dagger that they would both use and she was to provide the sweet honey mead and the cup from which they would drink. The blood bond would create a strong union between them, one that would last for centuries if they were blessed to have that long together.

Elihara and Rohinna helped her to find several bottles of the sweet mead, for both the blood bond as well as for the guests to share in their union. They gathered glasses that would be suitable for the guests and another for the blood bond. She helped Rohinna bake some sweet cakes, traditional ones from a recipe that Rylee could remember Ainu Nienna using. By helping, she did only what Rohinna asked her to do and provided the recipe. She was otherwise hopeless in the kitchen and just watched from the table as she drank her fortification tea.

Elorin collected everything and took it to the central gardens where the ceremony would take place. Kili and Thorin were to set up everything there. She was not allowed to arrive until just before the ceremony began. Once Rohinna and Jovina left to prepare the House of Aulë for their homecoming, the day seemed to slow to a crawl, giving her too much time to think. She was terrified that Kili would realize his mistake and back out. She considered calling the whole thing off due to her own terror and nerves. She was beginning to fidget, which was driving Elihara up the wall. Sitting at the table, ignoring her frozen tea and drumming her fingers on the table as time crawled by, she could not stop the fear.

"Come, we are going to find Mikhaul and you are going to ride your mare to the central gardens," the Elf Maid said standing up suddenly, stopping Rylee's fingers from their incessant drumming on the table.

"Good idea, I cannot stand to sit here for one more moment." Rylee nearly jumped out of her seat, making her way to the door, they were stopped by Elorin just as they were about to make their escape.

"Mikhaul is on the doorstep," He said with a half grin. He stood in the doorway blocking the way, holding a thick cloth satchel. "She brought this for you."

Rylee looked at the bag in complete confusion. Stepping forward she took it from him, her hands shaking. There was a small piece of paper sitting on top, hand written in a most familiar form;

_"Beloved daughter, _

_Follow your heart, the rest will come. _

_–M. & Y." _

She opened it up and found, to her amazement, bridal robes.

She carried the satchel to Elihara's bedroom and changed out of her dress and into the formal robes. There were soft white slippers and a wide mithril and dragon scale belt, encrusted with black and white diamonds. The last thing she found in the bag was a long white ribbon. She looked upon it for a moment before she realized that it was for the hand fasting portion of the ceremony. She had forgotten that it was her duty to provide her own Ribbon.

There was a knock at the door, "Rylee? It is time to go."

Opening the door, she stepped out and Elihara gasped in amazement, "You are stunning, Rylee. Who sent you the robes?"

"Mahal and Yavanna," Rylee whispered softly, a tear building in her eye. Rylee wiped it away.

* * *

><p>It was sunset. Kili was terrified. What if she didn't show? What if she realized that marrying him would be the biggest mistake of her life and she ran? Elorin brought the sweet honey mead hours before, as well as sweet cakes that Rylee and Rohinna made. With a wink Elorin said, "They are edible, I promise, she merely provided the recipe and did what she was told."<p>

The glasses for the guests were already filled and waiting for the moment of toasting the union. 'Hush', the dagger Rylee made and Mahal gave him, sat on the altar beside the silver chalice for the blood oath, the bottle of mead sitting beside it. He stood with Thorin and Fili in front of the altar on the dais. He wore the clothing that Mikhaul brought for him and fiddled with the long blue grey ribbon that he held in his hands. The Company was already seated, impatiently waiting for the ceremony.

Gandalf, Lord Elrond, Lady Galadriel, Glorfindel, Daeron and Lerain, Elladan and Elrohir, and Rohinna were all present. There was another tall blonde elf with a beard seated with them and Kili wondered if there was any relation between him and Elorin, though the blonde hair was the only shared trait. There was also a maid sitting near the seats reserved for Elorin and Elihara she had thick black hair, silky sideburns, and a smattering of beard along her jaw line. Kili wondered if this was Elorin and Elihara's daughter. Rylee's Elven friends nearly equaled the numbers of the company, the seats were all full. The only people invited that were missing were the White Wizard and the Brown Wizard.

All Kili was waiting for was his bride and as the minutes stretched onward, his stomach clenched in fear that she would not show. He heard Mikhaul's shoes on the cobblestones before he saw them. Jovina arrived first, wearing a pale blue dress that pooled at her feet and fell in waves from her wrists, her pale blonde hair fell loosely to her heels as she walked into the garden first. Elihara entered second, elegantly dressed in soft green robes, her black hair curling around her shoulders. Elorin followed in a similarly colored robe, the many clasps in his blonde beard tinkled and chimed as he walked, like tiny bells announcing their arrival. Finally there was Rylee, sitting atop her mare. He could not see anything other than her form because of the sheer black veil that covered her. Mikhaul was prettied up, with her beard and mane braided and beaded, even her long tail sported braids and beads.

They made their way through the silent garden. Jovina stepped onto the dais and moved to stand beside Fili while Elihara and Elorin took their seats with the company. Mikhaul and Rylee slowly made their way to the dais. Rylee could not help but admire Kili. He wore black leather breaches, a deep blue leather tunic with his personal emblem detailing the hems overtop of a lighter blue linen tunic with black trim. Over his tunic was a hefty belt made of black metal with a buckle of blue sapphires and black diamonds. The cuff she gave him was on his wrist, it complimented his clothing perfectly. Apparently Mahal gifted Kili with clothes of his own for their wedding because these were not garments made by elves, and Rylee recognized the dragon hide. His hair was loose, to allow her to braid in his hair.

"Who has blessed this union for the bride?" Thorin asked clearly to the group.

There was a stunned moment when Mikhaul's 'voice' whispered through the entire parties minds. "This union is blessed by Ilúvatar, Mahal, Yavanna, and Mikhaul."

The great horse bowed low to the ground so that Rylee could slide down. She dismounted on the side closest to the guests and as she walked around the front of Mikhaul, the horse stepped on the train of the veil, Ryle continued to walk toward Kili and the veil slowly slipped away to reveal his bride. There was a stunned silence as Rylee was revealed. She was in the most stunning bridal robes Kili could remember seeing.

She wore white breaches, with a pair of small white slippers. A long white fitted tunic hung to her knees, the edges and hems were crimson red and adorned with silvery white embroidered Dwarven knots and braids. There were glyphs and runes within the pattern. Tiny crystal gem stones were sewn into the patterns catching the light like fire. Over top was a deep storm gray fitted robe, the long tail hung just an inch off the ground it was trimmed in snow white fur and hemmed with the same intricate designs and gems as her tunic. A wide mithril belt with shining white scales cinched her tiny waist, it was edged in diamonds of both black and white.

Her hair was left loose, leaving it free for him to work with, the long glossy waves catching the light. Her braids and beads twinkling like jewels within the flowing locks. The ever present mithril diadem graced her brow. It was then Kili noticed that the braids were changed. There was now one thick intricate five stranded braid that curved around each ear. Entwined into each braid were five clasps, one for each of her arrivals in Middle-Earth. The new style freed up several inches of unbraided hair, hair that he could use for her marriage braids. The softest of smiles lifted her lips as she slowly made her way toward him, clutching a white Ribbon in her hand. Kili was breath-taken, his heart stopped for a moment as she joined him on the dais. She was exceptionally beautiful in his eyes, not a single flaw. His lips curved up into a small smile. With her next words, the smile turned into a grin.

"I pledge my hand, my heart, and my soul to my beloved, Kili son of Sevrin." Rylee said stating her intentions to the group, her voice was soft and filled with emotion. The lightening was in her eyes and the power was in her voice. She handed her ribbon to Fili who gave her a wink.

It was Kili's turn to state his intentions to their guests. He looked at her again and spoke with confidence, "I pledge my hand, my heart, and my soul to my beloved, Rylee Emitheral daughter of Mahal."

He handed his ribbon to Jovina and both he and his beloved turned to Thorin. "Are there any who have a Right or Reason to block this union? Speak now or be beholden to silence forevermore."

Not a soul spoke and Thorin moved on to the exchange of items. "As a united partner you are expected to share pain, loss, grief, laughter, light, and love with your beloved. To share in all things both worldly and otherwise is symbolized with an exchange of braids. Have you your clasps to exchange?"

Kili reached into his pocket and pulled out four red mithril hair clasps and handed them to Thorin. Inspired by the miniature roses he bought from the vendor on their first courting day, he created a set of exquisite roses, hammered out and welded together on the clasps, a small black diamond at the center of each flower. They were so intricate and delicate that it looked as though real flowers were bursting forth out of the metal.

Rylee was holding her items in her hand. She dropped four hair clasps into Thorin's outstretched hand beside Kili's. Each one was the size of the tip of her thumb, she used magic to turn the red mithril blue, for the line of Durin. At the top and bottom of each clasp was a band of crusted gems, sapphires, and black diamonds. Engraved in the body of the metal were runes, symbols, and glyphs which meant 'beloved of my heart'.

Thorin looked at the beautiful clasps and smirked. Kili was teased relentlessly by his peers in the village in Ered Luin for his delicate work, but it was as though he worked magic pulling the forms out of the metal as he did. He cleared his throat with a small uprising of pride as he met his nephew's eyes. Rylee's jewel crusted clasps were no less entrancing, the blue metal shone like daylight which made the gems embedded in the metal gleam brightly. He could not read the ancient runes but he could feel the power and the intent within them. The pair of them had created something so filled with love for the other, there was no way that their bond could possibly be broken. He covered the clasps with his other hand and spoke his blessing over the exchange items, "As your King I bless this union in the eyes of the Valar and the Peoples of Middle-Earth. Please make your exchange."

Rylee took her clasps back from Thorin's hand, stepped behind Kili, and picked up a strand of hair from the left side of the crown of his head. She then began to braid, spacing the clasps through the braid with one near the top and another securing the end. Then she did the same on the right. When she was done, Kili handed her his dark metal hair clasp and she arranged his hair as he preferred it, bringing her two braids together within the one, symbolizing their union with each other. While the clasps shone brightly, the braids fell within the rest of his thick dark hair. The effect was subtle, understated, and it suited Kili, yet it was still obvious enough that it proclaimed her undying love for him. Satisfied with her work she moved back to stand before her intended.

Kili took his time. As her intended he could make whatever changes he wanted to her braids but he did not want to change her, just mark her for the world as his own. He picked up a thick chunk of hair at her temple just above her new quest braid and began to entwine his personal plait into her hair. He used a smaller singular rose clip to secure the end and then he made a second braid beside it, and did the same on the other side. He then collected all of the hair to the top of her head into a half tail and joined his four braids with the heavy mass, making sure that his braids were showing above all others. There was no subtlety for Kili, he wanted his claim to speak loudly to the world; Rylee was his. She handed him her mithril clip and he secured her hair into position. He moved back into his place and looked at Thorin who moved to the next part of the union.

Elorin stepped forward carrying a massive hammer, an exact replica of Mahal's, he held it across his wide chest and made a complete circle around the couple, then he held it over their heads as Thorin said the Seven Blessings of Mahal, sanctifying their union and blessing it in the eyes of the seven kingdoms. He added the Blessing of Ilúvatar as well since it was with his blessing that this was even possible.

Fili and Jovina both stepped forward into the circle of Unity and each presented the couple with a wedding band. Kili took his ring from Fili, it was small, and the marks of his clan were engraved into the bright gold band. He, Thorin, and Fili made the rings the night that Rylee got pranked with the Devil-weed. The wording of the vows was changed, considering their special circumstances. Thorin had explained the necessity of the ring exchange to Rylee the day before, he understood that in her eyes it was quite a redundant practice if they would be doing a blood bond, but she agreed graciously.

"In the embrace of my clan you will find a house and I will find a home within your heart," Kili vowed to her, they both knew that he did not yet have Halls to give her, but he still wanted her to become part of his Clan, to become part of his family. House or no, he wanted her with him always. He slipped his ring onto her finger and it shined brightly against her pale skin, the markings of his Clan glittering in the low light. The runes lit on the ring as it slipped into place, Rylee's magic reacting to the emotions in the band.

Rylee couldn't care less about having a house to live in. Having spent most of her time in Middle-Earth travelling, she just wanted Kili and the love of this family. She just wanted the acceptance of his people and the embrace of her One. Still she completed the vow, as she slipped the plain gold band onto Kili's finger, "In the embrace of your clan I will find a house and you will find a home within my heart."

Rylee's voice was filled with her emotive power and the band, though plain, lit with runes as she moved it into place. Kili could feel her love emanating from it and he was speechless. Their guests were equally as stunned, all but Jovina who watched with a small smile.

Elorin stepped back lowering the great war-hammer and he retreated back to his seat. Thorin could not help the pride that swelled in him for both Kili and Rylee. He turned to the altar, opened the bottle of mead and poured it into the silver chalice that Rylee provided for the rite. Picking up the dagger he handed it to Kili and said, "Will you Kili, fortify this union by giving a part of yourself to your bride and Mahal?"

Kili took the dagger in his right hand and made a small cut in the mound of his left palm under his thumb. He handed the dagger back to Thorin and then he raised his palm over the chalice and allowed three drops of blood fall into the cup. "With my blood, I offer my heart to Rylee in the eyes of Mahal."

"Will you Rylee, fortify this union by giving a part of yourself to your groom and Mahal?" Thorin asked as he handed the dagger to Rylee.

"With my blood, I offer my heart to Kili in the eyes of Mahal," Rylee said softly, accepting the dagger and making a small cut in the mound under her thumb. Three drops of blood, one for herself, one for Kili and a third for the Vala, fell into the chalice.

Thorin used the tip of the dagger to stir the contents together, uniting the blood into one vessel.

"Clasp your hands together," Thorin ordered them, holding the cup above their hands, "Fili and Jovina will bind these two souls as one with their ribbons."

Rylee and Kili joined their hands, the blood from their dagger wounds mingled together on their flesh. Rylee looked up and met Kili's eyes. Her heart stopped, her mind spun, and she was breathless. She would never get over what he made her feel with the simplest of touches. He gripped her hand tighter, a small smirk lifted his lips as he watched her. He could see hunger and desire in her eyes, as she looked at him. He could feel the trembling in her hand. Fili and Jovina worked together, twining the ribbons around their hands, weaving them together and finally finishing their ends at the opposite wrist in a true-love knot. White ribbon entwined with blue gray in a knot that was known to stand the test of time and endurance. While the ribbons were woven together Elven servers moved through the guests handing them each a goblet of the sweet honey mead. Once the knots were in place, Thorin asked them to speak their vows.

"Do you Kili, vow to hold your beloved as your equal in all things forevermore?" He asked clearly for their guests to witness.

"I vow it so," Kili stated clearly, meeting Rylee's gaze watching intently as she blushed deeply at his words.

"Do you Rylee, vow to hold your beloved as your equal in all things forevermore?" Thorin asked again for Rylee to return the sentiment. There was a feminine sob from the guests and Kili's eyes flicked to where Elihara was handing her daughter a handkerchief.

"I vow it so," Rylee said, once again her words vibrated with emotion.

Thorin handed the chalice to Rylee. She took a long drink, she was to down half of it and offer the remainder to Kili. Passing the chalice to him over their bound hands, blessing the knots, Kili took the goblet and drank the rest. He held the goblet over their knotted hands and Rylee lifted her free hand to join his on the goblet. Together they raised the glass signifying a toast to their union. The entire company raised their glasses and drank their mead down to the last drop to signify their blessing of the event.

Thorin took the chalice and said, "With the blood of your union, your hands, hearts, and souls are bound together forever more. As your King and your kin, I bless this sacred bond and pronounce you One. Kili you may kiss your-," He stopped cleared his throat and corrected himself, thinking 'equal union', and instead of bride he said, "Rylee."

"My Rylee," Kili grinned liking the sound of that. Using their bound hands Kili pulled Rylee against him and crushed her in a kiss. She melted against him, her fingers twining in his hair, she found her braids and gave them a soft tug. Kili felt it and kissed her harder with a growl. She was his and he was hers, the thought of belonging to her made him feel impulsive and possessive. He reluctantly pulled away.

Thorin stood behind them with a small smirk, "Go forth and be blessed."

The elves clapped with joyous decorum while the Dwarves hooted and hollered. Elihara and Rohinna were wiping away joyous tears. Lerain had tears streaming down her face and Daeron held her possessively like she was a diamond treasure. Gandalf wore his knowing smile. Together, hands still bound they stepped down from the dais to be received as a united couple by their guests.

Fili nearly jumped on them, hauling them both into an enthusiastic hug. "Welcome to the family, little sister. Now that you are one of us, we will never let you go."

"Why thank you, Fili," Rylee laughed as she was crushed against Fili and Kili.

"You are one of us now Rylee, you are family," Thorin said as he wrapped his arms around them into a bear hug squeezing the three of them even tighter. Rylee was happy that she was a Dwarrowdam, because if she was man or elf she certainly would have broken under the pressure of such an embrace.

Jovina approached them and touched their bound hands, "You will have many trials before you. For your love to be a success, you must give fully of yourselves and let no one come between your love, be they friends or foe. You are Valar blessed."

Galadriel and Elrond stepped up to them together and each gave them hugs, as Galadriel said, "It is easy to love in times of light, watch over each other in darkness, it is in the arms of each other that you will find the strength to keep the shadows at bay."

Every member of the company rose to give their personal blessings, and to draw the united couple into an embrace. Elorin picked up his fiddle and started to play as wine and ale flowed freely. A feast was brought out and more and more guests arrived, mostly elves having heard the obvious strains of a celebration in the garden. The evening was much livelier than their first one in Rivendell, with many more guests and a more festive air. Kili learned that the blonde bearded Elf was Cirdan, one of Rylee's acquaintances from the First Age and the black haired girl was indeed Elihara and Elorin's daughter. Her name was Kalyna.

Rylee pulled Kili over to Lerain and Daeron, where she pulled Lerain into a one armed hug, "I am so happy you came."

"Thank you Rylee Emitheral," Lerain clutched her tight, whispering in her ear, "Jovina is amazing, your words and hers, they helped."

"She is amazing isn't she?" Rylee grinned, glancing over at the blonde Dwarrowdam. Then warning Lerain to remain strong, she whispered softly, "You know there will still be darkness?"

Kili watched his bride with quiet curiosity. He knew that something big had happened earlier that day. There was quite the commotion at one point on the training field when Daeron took his anger out on a training dummy. The poor wooden object was now just kindling. Whatever it was had to do with Lerain, who seemed to look quite tired yet fully determined to stay and enjoy the wedding.

"Only if I give in to it," Lerain said adamantly shaking her head, "I will be strong. I will be like you and Jovina Malagnûna."

"Oh Lerain, you are already strong," Rylee smiled at the girl.

"Thank you, for your warning. She did try to push me away." Rylee met Daeron's eyes, they were sad but he was truly devoted to Lerain. "We will face everything together, I swear it."

They were pulled away moments later by Bofur, Bombur, and Bifur. Being bound together made the evening interesting since both Rylee and Kili were being pulled in different directions by their friends. It was all a test to see if the knots would truly hold or if they could be torn apart. Rylee knew that by the end of the evening the knots would be so tight that they would be nearly impossible to untie. Being the newlywed couple also meant that they did not have a chance to eat at the feast for their guests. This was fine with Rylee since they would have their own feast later.

The music changed a dozen times, as did the players in order to allow for everyone attending to enjoy the celebration to the fullest. Even Lerain and Daeron played for a while, it was really fast paced and Rylee was whirled around the floor by Kili, who was taking full advantage of the fact that Rylee could not escape him. Every dance was his and other than being pulled around the floor by their friends, he didn't have to leave Rylee's side.

Kili and Rylee were in the midst of dancing a jig in the center of the garden, as Elorin played the fiddle, other instruments such as Bofur's clarinet had joined in earlier and the tunes kept coming faster and faster. Kili was grateful when the music slowed and he was able to pull Rylee against him in a slow waltz. He was ready to leave and let their guests carry on with the party without them when suddenly he and Rylee were lifted into the air by Dwalin and Thorin. They were paraded around the garden on their shoulders circling all of the guests until finally they were released right beside Mikhaul.

Kili climbed onto Mikhaul's back first and then Rylee followed. With a quick intentional tug on their bound hands, Kili pulled Rylee off center and she fell sideways onto his lap. The company laughed, recalling all the times that Rylee had fallen for Kili. Kili wound his arm around her pulling her closer so she would not fall. It was very intimate and garnered more wild and raunchy hoots from the dwarves. Knowing automatically that the couple was ready, Mikhaul rose daintily to her feet and walked away carrying them away from the garden.

"Congratulations, it is about time you two created a union," Mikhaul whispered into their minds.

"Thank you Mikhaul," Kili grinned patting the stead gratefully, "I could not have caught her without you, skittish maid that she is."

Rylee chuckled softly, "You had me from the moment I met your eyes Kili."

"If I had only known," Kili groaned pulling Rylee tight against him.

Mikhaul carried Rylee and Kili through the village away from the cottages that overlooked the great bay. The stars shone brightly above them in the clear dark sky, moonlight lit the cobblestone streets and the night flowers bloomed fragrantly around them. It would be the first time Kili actually got to step foot into Rylee's Rivendell home. Every other time he visited her or dropped her off, they met or parted at the door. Mikhaul's gait was so smooth that Kili allowed his grip on Rylee to ease and he ran his fingers up and down her spine, concentrating on his new bride, he felt her begin to tremble in his arms.

Rylee was suddenly playing shy, not meeting his eyes, and blushing darkly every time she did happen to meet his gaze. He watched her curiously, as her right hand rose to where the cords of his tunic were tied together. Her movements were hesitant, her breaths were shallow.

"Rylee," he whispered as his hand tangled in her hair. She looked up at him, her gray eyes sparkling with the starlight. "You are the most beautiful dwarrowdam I have ever met."

He met her lips hungrily and she met his with equal fervor. He devoured her mouth like he was a starving man. Exploring her heat, twining his tongue with hers, dominating and submitting, they were so involved in each other that they were oblivious to everything else. He released her only to let them catch their breath for a moment before meeting her lips again and again. Mikhaul stopped in front of the house and told them they were arrived, she was blatantly ignored. The couple didn't even hear her they were so absorbed with each other. Then she tried to snort and whinny to get their attention. They broke away only when the perturbed horse bowed low and the sudden motion nearly made Rylee fall. Kili easily caught her and held her against him, until Mikhaul stopped moving.

"Sorry Mikhaul," Rylee laughed and laid her free hand on the mare's neck.

Mikhaul just shook her head and whispered, "Just go get it out of your system already."

Kili laughed outright and Rylee blushed crimson at Mikhaul's sassy words. Rylee slid to her feet and Kili followed landing lightly beside her. They walked to the door of the house and unhooked the latch. It swung open silently. Kili looked down at his lovely bride and whispered, "I would carry you over the threshold, but with our hands clasped like this, it would be quite difficult."

"We are equals. We walk over the threshold together." Rylee whispered in return, she smiled up at him and they stepped into the cottage and shut out the rest of the world. There was a small little kitchen and living area, a dining table sat in the center, laden with fruits, vegetables, and some of the little cakes that Rylee helped Rohinna make. Sparkling wine with a pair of fluted glasses sat amongst their little feast. "Did Thorin tell you how we remove the ribbons?"

"Nay, he said you would tell me." Kili smiled with a small wink.

"Good, you took care of everything else. We toast each other, feed each other, and then we can remove the ribbons," Rylee told him softly, leading him to the table. They each made a plate for each other and together they opened the wine and filled the flutes. They picked up their glasses and Rylee whispered, "May we love as long as we live and live as long as we love."

"Here's to you who halves my sorrows and doubles my joys." Kili said in return. They touched the rims of their glasses and together they took their first sip. Then they took turns feeding each other; grapes, berries, sliced apples, pears, melons, little biscuits covered in cream. It was all light finger-food.

Rylee watched him eat as she fed him, trying a little of everything, some things he really liked and others he made faces to. She laughed and made mental notes of his likes and dislikes. She lifted a berry smothered with thick cream to his mouth and the cream dribbled on his lip. Just as he swallowed the berry she leaned forward and licked away the cream from his lip. Kili growled in desire, her lips hovered just over his. He moved to kiss her and she pulled away with a giggle. He was going to protest when she popped the last little cake in his mouth, not giving him a chance.

"My turn," he whispered once the cake was gone, "you are going to pay for your cheek, lass."

"Am I?" Rylee grinned at him, her brow arched saucily.

Picking off of her plate, every morsel he fed her, he touched her. Along her jaw, the shell of her ear, the column of her neck. She gasped and shivered at every touch. He fed her a strawberry and then he dropped kisses along the neckline of the bridal robe, going lower and lower, closer and closer to the middle of her chest. Heat pooled through her body, exciting and unknown. She growled huskily, "Kili, I am no longer hungry for food."

"'Tis unfortunate that you have yet to finish your plate," Kili grinned at her and met her eyes. He pressed a chocolate covered biscuit to her lips, but she was suddenly pouting up at him. Her big grey electric eyes were pleading, her lower lip plump and protruding just enough. He nearly gave in, the look was so completely endearing. "Nice try my love, but you will need your energy this night, eat."

Rylee reluctantly took the biscuit as he fed it to her, bite by bite, until the last one where she purposely licked his fingers, cleaning away the melted chocolate. His eyes darkened as he watched her mouth and growled softly as Rylee purred, "Chocolate suits you Kili."

"Choose your next bite Rylee, what will you have?" Kili rasped. There were only two items left on her plate, a small cherry tart and a small date square. She looked at the plate and Kili used her distraction to pull her onto his lap with their bound hands. She was straddling him now and he purposely settled her over his growing erection.

"Oh!" She gasped in surprise at the sudden increase in intimacy, white sparks burst in her grey eyes. She sighed softly as she settled against him, a blush creeping over her cheeks as Rylee said saucily, "Dates first, cherry last."

He laughed at her cheek and obliged her, feeding her the date square first, again she sucked it off of his fingers. He used the wet tip of his fingers to trace the column of her throat, to the small dent at the bottom. He watched her swallow, then with a deft move he covered her breast and lightly pinched her nipple through her tunic. She whimpered and arched up into his hand, "Kili please."

"One more Rylee," Kili teased her softly, "just one cherry tart."

Kili pressed the tart against her lips, purposely covering her lips in the deep red jelly filling before inserting the rest into her mouth. She didn't have a chance to lick her lips this time, Kili did, licking and sucking on her lips as Rylee tried to concentrate on chewing and swallowing. His hand was on her bottom pulling her tighter against him as he rocked his hips against hers. Rylee's free hand grasped his tunic as she tried to steady herself on him, she whimpered softly against his mouth, "Oh by the Grace of the Valar, please tell me we are done eating."

"Yes love, let's untie these knots," Kili said against her lips, tugging on their bound hands, "I want to know you with both hands."

Rylee moaned gratefully. They slowly worked the knots loose, their frustrations rising until finally the ribbons came free. Rylee pulled away and twined the ribbons around each other making a dual colored rope then she made a simple slipknot and gave it to Kili. "Go hang this on the outside doorknob."

"Why?" Kili asked her, impatient to get to know his wife.

"It tells others that we are newlywed and they are to leave us to our celebration," she told him urgently. "It gives us privacy."

"Ah, good idea," Kili took the ribbon and went to tie it on the door knob. Rylee picked up both wine glasses and the bottle and carried them up to the bedroom loft. Rylee noticed that there was a basin of water on the washstand and a salve so they could wash their hands and clean the cuts from the blood oath. She set the bottle of wine and the glasses on the bedside table and turned to see Kili standing in the door way holding a tall candle, which he used to light the others in the room.

He was looking at her predatorily, hunger in his gaze. He kicked off his boots, unbuckled his belt and unlaced his tunic, stalking towards her slowly. She watched him with a hunger of her own, heat coiled through her belly, her flesh felt like it was tingling everywhere his eyes touched. She stepped towards him but made no other movements, suddenly fearful and unsure. He stopped in front of her and took both of her hands in his, placing them both on his chest. Then he ran his fingertips slowly up her arms, brushing gently over her shoulders and down her back to unclasp the belt from around her waist.

The belt fell away and Rylee's fingers clutched Kili's tunic, she focused only on his face as she felt his hands spread up her back and down to her hips. She watched the desire written there, his want, his need. She loved the way his eyes darkened as he caressed her through her thick robe, the sexy smirk that pulled his lips and brightened his eyes as he pulled at the fabric. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched him, something pulled within her. Her own hands moved of their own accord, exploring the breadth of his chest, the heat of his flesh that warmed her hands through the fabric. There was too much fabric. Too many layers. Before she could say anything her robe was being pushed off of her shoulders and onto the floor.

Kili's hands skimmed her shoulders, ribs, hips, and thighs as he reached for the edge of her tunic. Finally it was up and over her head. He reached for the ties on her breaches, cursing the traditional dwarven ceremonial clothes, finally the ties came loose and he pushed the leather down her legs. Rylee stepped out of them, but she was still in her undergarments. Chemise and pantalets covered her beautiful form. "Damn it Rylee, you are still wearing too many layers."

"Kettle versus pot Kili, you have more than I," She gasped as he tugged on her chemise and it followed the rest of her clothes to the floor. Kili looked upon his bride, her only covering was her hair of dark fiery embers, she was glorious. Her long silky hair curled around her body, waving around lush breasts, her rosy nipples peaking through the locks. His clever hands brushed through her hair, tracing over flesh, he explored her collarbones, her sternum. He pushed her heavy hair back, exposing her flesh to his hungry eyes, Rylee whimpered and moved to cover herself.

"No, my beauty, I have been dreaming of you since that night at the waterfalls. I have waited to see you like this, do not deny me." He caught her hands, turning them over before placing a kiss on each palm. He released them back to her sides, shaking his head slowly, his eyes drinking her in. She was finely muscled and it was no wonder, considering that she was a Weapon Smith and a Warrior. Her fine definition took nothing away from her lush curves. She wore only her pantalets, held up by a thin silk ribbon, he tugged it and then pushed them off of her hips. They pooled at her feet and she flinched reflexively, as though trying to keep herself from following the instinct to cover herself. Her hips were wonderfully rounded and he was pleased to see that she had a narrow vee of hair covering her apex, soft and curling. She truly did have the most wonderful legs, strong, muscular, and finely boned.

"You are perfectly stunning Rylee," Kili whispered as he stepped behind her. He drew her thick waves off of her back, taking in the three thick pale jagged white scars that marred her otherwise perfect flesh. They ran in a diagonal from her right shoulder to her left hip. Now that he knew how she got them he was even more thankful that she survived and that she was here before him. Then he noticed a faint black star at the base of her neck, it looked similar to a tattoo, but it went much deeper under her skin. He realized that this was where Ungoliant had bit her, leaving behind her poison. Kili kissed it and caressed her scars lovingly.

"No Kili-," Rylee gasped trying to twist away.

"They are a part of you Rylee," Kili said holding her in place as he kissed and worshiped them, "They are no less beautiful than the rest of you."

He worked his way down her back exploring her soft skin, the jagged white scars, and the hard muscle underneath. He kissed and tasted her flesh moving lower and lower, working his hands over her fine arse and down her muscular thighs. He brushed the ticklish flesh on the back of her knees and she jerked, making a strangled chuckle deep in her throat. He kissed and nuzzled her there and she danced away with a yelp, "Kili!"

He looked up at her and met her sparkling eyes, "You're not trying to run away from me are you?"

"I wouldn't have to if you would stop tickling me," she teased him, back a small grin played about her lips. Her hair was like a curtain swinging back to cover her, teasing him by covering most of her and showcasing her most feminine attributes. Kili offered his hand and she took a small step towards him.

He took her hand and drew her towards him, so he could trail kisses over her bare skin. Kili kissed, licked, and sucked at the flesh of her belly and hips, while stroking her thighs, bottom, and back, pulling her toward him. He stood slowly, hands moving over heated flesh, he brushed the underside of her breasts, reveling in the shivers that he could feel coming from her. Cupping her, he took one pale pink nipple in his mouth, swirled his tongue, and Rylee moaned in pleasure. He moved to the other and did the same, another soft moan was his reward. Kili stood straight looking down at her, her hands were clutching his shoulders, gripping his tunic, holding on tightly, her eyes were slightly unfocused. He pulled her close against him dropped quick gentle kisses, brushing across her face and neck before claiming her mouth. His hands lightly brushing and grazing her naked flesh, her back, her shoulders, and her fine bottom as he sought out her every reaction allowing him to find those places that brought her the most intense pleasure.

Then he pressed her back towards the bed, easing her down onto it. He broke the kiss and lifted her, centering her on the bed. "Stay there Rylee."

She watched as he pulled off his tunics, dropping them onto the floor with hers. Kili's body was more than she ever imagined, thick strong arms, wide shoulders. His well muscled chest was covered in a light mat of soft hair that tapered and thinned over his lightly defined abdomen. He untied his breaches and pushed them to the floor and stepped forward, showcasing his lean muscular hips and strong thighs and calves. Her eyes travelled back up to his erection, she knew he was big, considering the times she felt him through their clothes, but he was bigger than she imagined and had no idea how they would manage to fit together. Her eyes widened and breath caught as she met his gaze. Trepidation filled her when she saw the raw hunger within the dark chocolate depths and she started to move away.

"You will not escape me now my love." Kili whispered to her as he caught her ankle and pulled her back, then he lightly bit her lip as he moved over her, making her gasp. He trailed his fingers up and down her calf, caressing the hard muscles and fine bones of her ankles before pulling her legs to either side of his. He was hungry for her, he wanted her, and needed her in every way. He kissed her again and again, until she was breathless and her small hands were curled into his hair, holding him to her. He released her lips and looked down into hungry grey eyes that sparked with life and no small amount of lust.

Rylee began an exploration of her own. Finally after weeks of denial, pent up lust, and too many layers of clothing Kili was bared to her. She stroked her hands over his arms petting, caressing, and kneading the muscles that roped his limbs. She nuzzled into his shoulder and licked and bit his collarbones, tasting him, spurred on by his growl she kissed and nuzzled his neck and throat before trailing down over his hard wide chest. Her short fingernails scraped gently against his skin, as she explored him in his nakedness.

Her lips were following her hands. Rylee was kissing, licking, and nipping at him, tasting him as he had done to her earlier. With every touch he grew harder and his hunger grew. He could not lose control, he needed to make this good for her or she would fear him but her hands were like magic, making sparks across his flesh. It soon became too much for Kili, so he grabbed her hands and pressed them to her sides. When she tried to protest he caught her lips with his, kissing her into silence, pushing her back into the pillows on the large down mattress.

"Slowly Rylee, I want to take pleasure in you," he whispered as his hands and lips roamed over her. Kili touched her everywhere; kissing, caressing, nibbling, and petting. Everywhere his lips moved, his long dark hair would caress her sensitive skin and she would shiver in need and anticipation. She tried to keep her hands at her sides but she burned to touch him in return, to revel in the feel of his hard male body under her touch. His fingers and mouth moved over her arms and shoulders. His hands stroked lightly down her sides and over her ribs. Fire erupted, tingling over her flesh, curling in her loins, pulling strings through her body and she cried out with need. She could feel the moist heat of his breath as he laved her nipples with his tongue and nibbled with his teeth.

"You taste like honey and feel like silk," Kili breathed as his curious fingers ghosted over her belly, hips and thighs, he left not an inch of flesh untouched. Her hands rose of their own accord as she scratched her nails across the plains of his back and shoulder blades. Kili growled and he moved lower following the path of his hands to her hips and thighs.

"I can't stop myself, please Kili, please," Rylee rasped. Her fingers moved of their own accord as she continued to explore his back and shoulders, and the cords in his neck as he kissed her belly and traced her hips with his hands. She was quivering with need, moaning with desire. She could barely understand what he was doing to her, her mind could not fathom anything other than the heat of what his mouth and lips and hands were doing. His tongue trailed through the crevice between her hips and her thigh and she gasped at the contact. His hands ghosted over hips and over the mounds of her bottom as he lifted her to his kisses, still exploring the flesh along her inner thigh. She was writhing in the heat of her desire, the fire inside her coiling tighter and tighter as he touched her, even her feet warmed and her toes curled with the fire that burned within her. She needed something and Kili was holding it back, "Kili!"

"Yes, I know. I know my love, soon," He whispered, his teeth sank lightly into her thigh. His fingertips brushed lightly against her inner thigh and she felt a tremor pass through her. Without thought she arched her back, her legs falling open, her fingers clutching at the bedspread. He continued to caress her thighs, moving closer and closer to the apex between them. She felt his fingers brush into the soft silky folds between her legs and she gasped at the heightened intimacy, she quelled the instinct to pull away. Kili explored her with his fingers, teasing her, her hips jerked of their own accord as he found a pleasure center that she did not know existed. Liquid fire pooled within her as he stroked that singular spot again and she arched up against him. There was a jolt of pure sensation, pleasure that his touch gave her. His fingers brushed over the same spot again and her toes curled as heat spiraled up and out of it. "Have you never touched yourself like this Rylee?"

"N-no!" She gasped as he brushed his finger over her clit again. He watched the bewildered pleasure that washed over her features and he chuckled as she gasped, "What are you-, Oh!"

She cried out again as he pressed his middle finger into her core as his thumb brushed over her sensitive clit again and she moaned as he stroked inside her. She was wet for him, her moisture pooling within her as he teased her into readiness. The candle light flickered across her pale heated flesh. She was exquisite, passionate, lusty, she moved against his hand as he prepared her for him. Her moans and whimpers were driving him to madness.

"Do you like this?" He asked as he kissed her belly, still working his finger gently in and out of her tight core. She was becoming slick against his hand, he circled his thumb around her sensitive clit, added another finger and felt her muscles clench around him. She was so tight, he was afraid he would hurt her if he didn't prepare her properly. He worked the little bud that gave her such intense pleasure and again she pushed up against his hands. Still stroking in and out of her, his fingers sought the soft spongy area that would bring her to great heights of pleasure.

"Yes! Kili, yesss! Ah!" Rylee moaned her eyes closing at the intense sensation. He added a third finger and felt her pleasure give way to her first orgasm. Her eyes opened wide in shock, her hips bucked wildly against his hand, she keened in ecstasy. Moisture gathered around his fingers as he continued to stroke in and out of her. She was as ready as he could make her. He didn't wait for her to come down, he wanted her too much and she was ready now.

"Rylee, I am going to join with you now," he growled moving over her, she looked up at him with wide eyes. He could see the white sparks flashing in the deep grey depths of her irises. The fire, the passion within her, lit her eyes. "It might hurt at first but it will pass and I promise I will give you pleasure."

She reached for him, unafraid, her fingers stretching over his shoulders as she pulled him closer. He braced himself on his left forearm and positioned himself at her entrance and captured her lips with his own as he pushed his hard cock slowly into her. His right hand continued to caress her hip, belly, and moved to cup her breast, his thumb brushing over her nipple. The sensations he created in her were so intense that she was unsure what to concentrate on other than the warmth that was still building. She could feel the moisture that he created with his earlier attention and he slid in slowly, little by little stretching her. He released her lips and she met his eyes as he pulled out just a little to ease back in using her wetness to make it easier for her, repeating the action again and again. The initial discomfort changed as her body accommodated him and she felt him touch deep in places she never knew existed. She relaxed into him knowing he would never harm her and all that was left was a feeling of fullness as he waited for her, "Okay now?"

"Oh yes," she whispered and he chuckled softly. He pulled back out and she whimpered sweetly as she felt him go, he pumped back in and watched her face change from unsatisfied confusion to innocent amazement as he moved inside her. "Do that again!"

"Oh my Rylee, you are my joy," he whispered as he obliged her. She felt him inside her, filling her, pressing deeper before sliding most of the way back out. He pushed in again and a different heat began to build and she could not help but dig her fingers into his back, she bit into his shoulder.

He rocked in and out of her building this heat, higher and higher. Mindlessly her hands began to touch him, exploring him as he didn't allow her to before. She kissed his shoulders and chest, her fingers spread across his shoulders, back, and arms before moving between them. Her fingernails brushed over his chest and abdomen, scratching and scraping over his heated skin. She loved his strength and his breadth as he covered her, filling her completely. His breath grew more and more ragged as she explored him. His movements became more erratic, some deep and hard, others smooth and gentle. He moved to grab her hands away again, but she stopped him, "Kili, I want to know all of you. Please."

"I don't know if I can last that long Rylee," he gasped as he moved within her, "Your touch drives me wild."

He pushed deeper as her fingernails stroked against his hardened nipples and Kili growled at the sharp call of the sensitive nerves there. Rylee gasped at the sudden change in depth and pressure. She repeated the movement and he pushed deeper again, making her moan with him. Her hands stroked up over his chest, over his shoulders, and into his hair. "Do that again Kili."

"This?" he pushed deep again, gaining a low sigh of pleasure. Her curious fingers on his skin gave him intense satisfaction, but as they threaded through his hair the pleasure amplified. He kissed her, wanting to devour her, driving deeper and deeper, feeling her body respond to his. Pressure was building in his spine, he was getting closer and closer to the edge.

He rose, pulling his mouth from hers leaving them both gasping for breath. He pulled her legs up, putting them over his shoulders, slightly changing his angle of entry, giving him greater depth and ensuring he would stroke against her most sensitive spot. He reached between them drawing circles around her sensitive clit. She cried out as he struck that elusive place within her hard and fast again and again, driving her towards her release. He could feel her tightening against him as wave after wave rolled through her body.

"Kili!" she cried out, behind her eyes she felt herself break into a million stars, the pleasure so completely intense. She felt as though she was shattering apart as she found release in Kili's arms. Gripping her hips he continued on, thrust after thrust he drove into her until his own end.

"Rylee, my Rylee," He groaned as he followed her in ecstasy, finding his own release in her, filling her with his seed. He released her legs and rolled them together so that she was on top of him, with him still embedded deep within her heavenly depths.

She nuzzled into his chest and neck as her breathing returned to normal. "Is it always like this Kili?"

"No Rylee, this is only the beginning," Kili chuckled softly as he looked up at her. She looked like she was glowing. Her skin was glistening with a light sheen of sweat, her hair spilled wildly around them, tumultuous and tumbled. He pulled her hair away from her face, pulling it down her back. Combing through her lush tresses with his fingers, finding and releasing the snarls, he heard her groan softly. "Does this hurt you Rylee?"

"No, when you touch my hair it sets me on fire, warms me on the inside," Rylee whispered softly, her fingers began to trace over his chest. She was finding the small scars from past fights and brawls and near escapes with Orcs and bandits. Every one she found, she traced as though memorizing it and then she kissed it. It was not long before he began to grow hard within her under the ministrations of her fingers and her lips on his upper body.

Then she did something he did not expect. She leaned forward and licked his nipple, his breath caught at the sensitivity. When her fingernails scratched against him earlier he reacted with hard lust and this time it was no different, moaning as her lips covered it and she sucked gently at his flesh. When he didn't stop her, she repeated the movement before moving to the other side, licking and sucking until both of his nipples were hard from her ministrations. He growled at the rising lust that made his blood quicken, his heart hammer in his chest and thickened his cock still embedded deep within her. Rylee released him and slowly sat up, straddling him, and as she did her hair tumbled around her. It curled and clung to every place he wanted to touch her. With every movement she made, he grew some more and her eyes widened as she felt him stretch her when he suddenly moved underneath her. She gasped in startled pleasure, "Oh!"

He thrust up into her again, watching the pleasure as it washed across her face, flushing her cheeks with rosy color. He helped her set a steady rhythm as she arched back and rode him. Then he traced the lines that her hair was making on her dew moistened flesh, stimulating both her skin and brushing her hair. Now that he knew how much hair combing effected her, he planned to touch it every chance he could get.

Her lips were parted and she was breathing heavy with desire and exertion, her head was tilted back just enough to display her pale throat and the soft lobes of her ears. He thrust against her again, breaking her rhythm and making her moan. She bit her lip as her eyes closed in time with the sensation. Rylee arched back her hands gripping his thighs to steady her as she continued to ride him. She was so open for him, her head tilted back, her back arched, her beautiful bounty of breasts were tilted up, her hardened nipples peaking seductively through her thick dark hair. He brushed his knuckles against the turgid tips and she moaned softly. Arched back as she was, even her moist center was on display for him. Her jewel, that tempting bud, begged to be touched. "So alluring, Rylee, you are the most amazing Dwarrowdam I have ever met."

Her eyes flew open as she felt him touch that sensitized place between her legs, her entire body tightened at that touch, the pleasure intensified as he kept stroking and swirling his thumb against her. Her fingernails dug into the hard muscle of his thighs as she tried in vain to keep the pace he set her on. She was new to this and didn't want to disappoint him. She met his eyes and some worry must have been written there, for he whispered, "Keep going Rylee, just feel it. Do what feels good."

"But I want to please you," She whispered huskily. She was watching him intently, as though trying to convey all of her desires.

"You do please me, Amrâlimê," Kili whispered back. How could she not know how amazing it was to watch her, to feel her? Her eyes, though open, were unfocused, like the day on the pier. Her lust was written there in every line of her body as she moved above him, riding him to slow torture. He was trying to hold back, to give her time to adjust to these new activities. He wanted their married life to be enjoyable, their sex life to be more than just satisfying. "This is new for you, as long as we tell each other what feels good, we will please each other."

She did as he requested of her, rolling her hips against his, finding her rhythm again until she faltered. He sat up and gripped her hips driving her against him, before lifting her and driving her down again making her cry out his name. His mouth laved her nipples making them tighten almost painfully. She moaned and arched back more, offering him everything. He lifted her and moved with her, rolling them together and pressing her on her back into the mattress, then driving deep within her again. The heat spiraled though her, coiling tighter and tighter in her core, making her toes curl with the intensity. She gripped the spread as she clung to the feelings of pleasure he was giving her. She didn't know what to do with her limbs, she felt like she was everywhere like an ungainly colt. So she followed her instincts and wrapped her legs around his muscular hips, like he had her do in the forest, her feet locking him in place.

Kili reveled at the close contact and he plunged deeper and deeper into her hot moist depths. Her arms wound around him, pulling him closer, pressing her flesh against his own. She lifted herself so she could press kisses and lick and nip at his neck and shoulders. Her fingernails scratched at his shoulders and back as he thrust hard into her, the mix of pleasure and pain pushing him onward. He was so close once again and she was insatiable. He vowed he would take advantage of that over the next few days since they didn't need to be anywhere but together. He pinned her arms above her head and kissed her hard on the lips, his tongue plundering her mouth, taking everything she could give him. He released her lips breathing hard, lifting himself away from her, moving one hand to grasp her hip and the other to stroke his thumb against her clitoris. She cried out and started to thrash, her hands gripping the bedspread beneath her. He could feel her getting closer, her breaths were coming faster, she moaned against him and she started begging him for release, "Please Kili, please! Help me-!"

"Let go Rylee, just let go and come for me," Kili commanded her as he drove deep the way she liked before. She shivered at the sound of his voice and her entire body reacted to his command. He thrust into her again and again as her inner walls pulsed around him, her orgasm shaking her to her very core.

"Kili!" She cried out as she came and he let go of his control, pounding as deep as he could over and over again before releasing his seed deep within her. Kili remained seated within her for a long moment as they both caught their breath. Finally he pulled out of her, knowing that if he didn't this time, he would certainly cause her pain later. He pulled her against him and wrapped her up in the warmth of the bedspread. He kissed her temple, and ran his fingers from her forehead to her jaw then down her neck and shoulder, raining a trail of kisses along the way. "I love you, Rylee. You have made me the happiest Dwarf in all seven kingdoms. Mahal blessed me when he made you."

"Hmm, I love you Kili," Rylee whispered, pressing closer against him, "My Kili, My One."


End file.
